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 awards have already closed their entry window and will be judged on the basis of anonymised employee surveys, we have decided to prolong the nomination period for a suite of Special Awards that spotlight excellence in particular domains. These Special Awards operate independently of the headline Best Places To Work categories and are open to any UK‑based organisation that works within, or alongside, the video‑games sector. Whether you are a developer, publisher, service provider, or a support business, you are eligible to put forward a nomination for any of the following honours: - Diversity Award – celebrating organisations that champion inclusive hiring practices, equitable career progression and a culture where every voice is heard.
- Green Award – recognising firms that have made measurable strides toward environmental stewardship, whether through carbon‑reduction initiatives, sustainable sourcing, or innovative green technologies. - HR Hero Award – acknowledging the individuals or teams whose strategic people‑management approaches have transformed workplace culture and employee experience. - Training and Development Award – highlighting companies that invest heavily in upskilling, mentorship programmes, and continuous learning pathways for their staff.
- Education Award – honouring entities that contribute significantly to gaming‑related education, from school‑level outreach to higher‑education collaborations and industry‑wide knowledge‑sharing platforms. - Corporate Social Responsibility Award – rewarding businesses that demonstrate a genuine commitment to societal impact, community engagement and ethical conduct.
- Health and Well‑Being Award – focusing on organisations that prioritise mental health, physical wellness, work‑life balance and supportive employee benefits. The deadline for submitting nominations to any of these categories has been extended to midnight on Monday 7 September, giving interested parties additional time to prepare thoughtful submissions.
Nominations may be submitted by internal stakeholders—such as employees, managers or board members—or by external observers, including partners, clients or industry peers who have witnessed the nominee’s achievements first‑hand. Following the close of the nomination window, a panel of judges will review all entries throughout the next week. Their assessment will consider the depth of impact, originality of approach and the tangible outcomes associated with each nominee’s efforts. The results will be announced at the awards ceremony scheduled for 1 October, where winners will be celebrated alongside the broader Best Places To Work accolades.
In addition to the awards, tickets remain on sale for the GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit, which this year centres on the evolving landscape of People & Work in the games industry. The summit will take place earlier on the same day as the awards ceremony, offering a full day of insight‑rich sessions, panel discussions and networking opportunities designed to help HR professionals, people‑ops leaders and senior managers navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. If you are a company that has taken concrete steps to foster a more diverse workforce, reduce its environmental footprint, or enhance employee wellbeing, now is the perfect moment to have that work recognised. By entering the Special Awards, you not only gain visibility for your achievements but also contribute to a broader conversation about best practices across the sector.
Whether you are nominating a colleague for the HR Hero Award, highlighting a sustainability programme for the Green Award, or showcasing a comprehensive training curriculum for the Training and Development Award, your submission helps set a benchmark for excellence that others can aspire to. To submit a nomination, simply visit the Best Places To Work Awards portal, select the relevant special category, and complete the brief questionnaire that captures the essence of the nominee’s contribution. Provide concrete examples, data points and, where possible, testimonials that illustrate the impact of the initiative. The more detailed and evidence‑based your nomination, the stronger the case for your nominee during the judging process.
Remember, the extended deadline applies only to the Special Awards; the main Best Places To Work categories are already closed for entries. Take advantage of this additional time to ensure your organisation’s standout projects receive the recognition they deserve.
We look forward to receiving your nominations and celebrating the remarkable work being done across the UK games industry.