With Gamescom now firmly in the past, the editorial team at GamesIndustry.biz has turned its attention to the evaluation process for this year’s Best Places To Work Awards. While the primary award nominations have already closed and will be assessed using anonymous feedback from employees, we have decided to prolong the submission window for the Special Awards. These supplemental categories celebrate exceptional performance in particular aspects of workplace excellence and are judged separately from the headline awards.
The deadline for nominating candidates in the following special categories has been moved to midnight on Monday, 7 September. This extension gives organisations across the United Kingdom that operate within or alongside the games sector additional time to put forward their most deserving teams, programmes, or initiatives. The Special Awards are open to any UK‑based business that contributes to the games industry, whether they are developers, publishers, service providers, or support organisations.
The categories eligible for nomination are: - **Diversity Award** – Recognising companies that have made measurable strides in creating an inclusive workforce that reflects a broad range of backgrounds, identities, and perspectives. - **Green Award** – Honouring firms that have implemented sustainable practices, reduced their environmental footprint, or pioneered eco‑friendly solutions within the gaming ecosystem. - **HR Hero Award** – Celebrating human‑resources professionals or teams who have delivered innovative policies, championed employee welfare, or driven cultural transformation. - **Training and Development Award** – Acknowledging organisations that invest heavily in upskilling their staff, offering robust learning pathways, mentorship programmes, and continuous professional development.
- **Education Award** – Highlighting initiatives that bridge the gap between formal education and the gaming industry, such as partnerships with schools, universities, or vocational training bodies. - **Corporate Social Responsibility Award** – Commending businesses that demonstrate a strong commitment to ethical practices, community engagement, charitable activities, and responsible corporate citizenship.
- **Health and Well‑Being Award** – Recognising efforts to promote mental and physical health, work‑life balance, and overall employee well‑being through supportive policies and programmes. Nominations can be submitted by anyone with insight into the nominated entity – internal staff members, external partners, clients, or even industry observers. Each submission should provide concrete examples, measurable outcomes, and any supporting data that illustrate why the nominee stands out in the chosen category.
The judging panel, comprised of seasoned industry experts and HR professionals, will review all entries next week, ensuring a thorough and impartial assessment before the awards ceremony scheduled for 1 October. In addition to the awards, tickets remain available for the upcoming GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit, which will take place on the day preceding the ceremony. This year’s summit theme, "The Future of People & Work," will explore emerging trends in talent acquisition, employee experience, diversity and inclusion, and the evolving role of HR in a rapidly changing industry.
Attendees will have the chance to hear from leading speakers, participate in interactive workshops, and network with peers who are shaping the next generation of workplace culture in gaming. The extended nomination period reflects our commitment to ensuring that every deserving organisation has a fair chance to be recognized for its contributions. Whether your company has launched a groundbreaking sustainability programme, introduced a comprehensive mental‑health initiative, or forged strong educational partnerships that feed fresh talent into the industry, we encourage you to submit a nomination.
Detailed guidelines for each award category are available on the Best Places To Work Awards website, and the submission form is straightforward to complete. By highlighting these specialised areas of excellence, the Special Awards aim to inspire broader adoption of best practices across the sector. They serve as a benchmark for companies seeking to improve their own policies and demonstrate that success is not only measured by financial performance but also by the positive impact on people, the planet, and society at large.
If you have any questions about the nomination process, eligibility criteria, or the upcoming HR Summit, please reach out to the GamesIndustry.biz awards team via the contact information provided on the website. We look forward to receiving your submissions and celebrating the outstanding achievements of the games industry’s most forward‑thinking workplaces.