With Gamescom now a memory, the editorial team at GamesIndustry.biz has turned its attention to the evaluation process for this year’s Best Places To Work (BPTW) Awards. While the deadline for the headline categories – those judged on the basis of anonymous employee surveys – has already passed, we have decided to lengthen the nomination window for the Special Awards. These supplementary honors celebrate superior performance in particular domains and are designed to highlight initiatives that go beyond the everyday expectations of a workplace. The extended nomination period runs until 23:59 GMT on Monday, 7 September.
Unlike the core BPTW categories, the Special Awards are open to any UK‑based company that operates within the games sector or provides services to it. This inclusive approach ensures that a wide range of organisations – from indie studios to large publishers, from support service firms to educational providers – can put forward their most noteworthy projects and programmes for consideration. Below is a list of the Special Award categories that are currently accepting nominations: - **Diversity Award** – Recognising companies that have implemented robust strategies to foster a more inclusive workforce, covering aspects such as gender balance, ethnic representation, neurodiversity and LGBTQ+ support.
- **Green Award** – Honouring initiatives that reduce environmental impact, whether through sustainable office design, carbon‑offset programmes, eco‑friendly production pipelines, or innovative waste‑reduction practices. - **HR Hero Award** – Celebrating individuals or teams within HR who have introduced groundbreaking policies, championed employee advocacy, or dramatically improved talent acquisition and retention. - **Training and Development Award** – Acknowledging organisations that invest heavily in upskilling their staff, offering mentorship schemes, continuous learning platforms, or bespoke career‑progression pathways. - **Education Award** – Highlighting partnerships with academic institutions, apprenticeship schemes, or in‑house academies that nurture the next generation of game‑making talent.
- **Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Award** – Commending companies that give back to their communities, support charitable causes, or embed ethical considerations into their business models. - **Health and Well‑Being Award** – Recognising efforts to promote mental health, physical fitness, work‑life balance, and overall employee wellbeing through comprehensive programmes and supportive workplace cultures. Nominations can be submitted by anyone with insight into the nominated organisation – internal staff members, former employees, partners, or external observers are all welcome to put forward a candidate. Each submission should include a concise description of the initiative, measurable outcomes where possible, and any supporting evidence such as case studies, testimonials, or statistical data.
The judging panel, composed of industry veterans, HR experts, and sustainability specialists, will review all entries next week. Their assessment will focus on the tangible impact of each programme, the originality of the approach, and the degree to which the initiative aligns with broader industry trends and societal expectations.
Winners will be announced during the Best Places To Work Awards ceremony scheduled for 1 October. In addition to the awards, tickets remain available for the GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit, which will be held on the day preceding the ceremony.
This year’s summit is themed “The Future of People & Work” and will feature a series of keynote speeches, panel discussions, and workshops aimed at exploring emerging trends in talent management, remote collaboration, diversity and inclusion, and the evolving role of HR technology in the games sector. Attendees will have the chance to network with peers, share best practices, and gain actionable insights that can be applied within their own organisations. Whether you are a studio looking to showcase a groundbreaking sustainability project, an HR department proud of a new wellbeing initiative, or an educational partner that has helped shape future developers, the Special Awards provide a platform to gain recognition from industry peers and elevate your brand’s reputation. By extending the nomination deadline, we hope to give more companies the chance to participate and to ensure that the most innovative and impactful programmes receive the spotlight they deserve.
If you have any questions about the nomination process, the criteria for each category, or the upcoming HR Summit, please contact the GamesIndustry.biz awards team via the dedicated email address listed on our website. We look forward to receiving your submissions and celebrating the outstanding work being done across the UK games industry.