With Gamescom now comfortably 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 categories have already closed for submissions and will be judged on the basis of anonymous employee surveys, we have decided to lengthen the nomination window for the Special Awards. These supplemental honours are designed to spotlight exceptional performance in particular domains that matter to the wider games community. The new deadline for submitting nominations for the Special Awards is midnight on Monday, 7 September.
Unlike the core Best Places to Work categories, which focus on overall workplace satisfaction, the Special Awards target specific initiatives and programmes. They are open to any UK‑based company that operates within the games sector or provides services to it, meaning that developers, publishers, middleware providers, and even ancillary service firms can put forward their achievements.
The list of Special Award categories includes: - **The Diversity Award** – recognizing organisations that have made measurable progress in building inclusive teams and fostering a culture where diverse voices are heard and valued. - **The Green Award** – celebrating companies that have implemented robust environmental sustainability practices, reduced carbon footprints, or pioneered eco‑friendly production methods. - **HR Hero Award** – honouring human‑resources professionals or teams whose innovative policies and support structures have significantly improved employee experience.
- **Training and Development Award** – highlighting firms that invest heavily in up‑skilling their staff through mentorship programmes, formal education partnerships, or continuous learning platforms. - **Education Award** – acknowledging contributions to educational outreach, such as collaborations with schools, scholarship schemes, or the creation of learning resources that inspire the next generation of game creators.
- **Corporate Social Responsibility Award** – rewarding businesses that demonstrate a strong commitment to social impact, whether through charitable initiatives, community engagement, or ethical business practices. - **Health and Well‑Being Award** – focusing on organisations that prioritize mental health, physical wellness, and work‑life balance through comprehensive support programmes. Nominations may be submitted by anyone with insight into the nominee’s work—this includes internal staff members, external partners, clients, or even industry observers.
Each submission should detail the specific actions, outcomes, and measurable results that illustrate why the nominee deserves recognition in the chosen category. After the nomination period closes, a panel of independent judges will review all entries throughout the following week. Their assessments will feed into the final awards ceremony scheduled for 1 October, where winners will be announced and celebrated. In addition to the awards, GamesIndustry.biz is still offering tickets for the upcoming 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 management, workplace culture, and employee wellbeing within the gaming sector. Attendees can expect keynote presentations from leading HR thought‑leaders, interactive workshops on topics such as remote collaboration, diversity recruitment, and mental‑health strategies, as well as networking opportunities with peers from across the industry. The extension of the Special Awards nomination period reflects our commitment to ensuring that every deserving organisation has a fair chance to be recognised. It also underscores the importance we place on highlighting best practices that go beyond traditional metrics of workplace satisfaction.
By shining a light on diversity, sustainability, training, education, corporate responsibility, and health, we hope to encourage more companies to adopt progressive policies that benefit both their employees and the wider community. If you represent a UK‑based games company—or a partner firm that supports the industry—and you have implemented initiatives that align with any of the categories above, we strongly encourage you to submit a nomination before the 7 September deadline. Detailed guidelines for each award, along with the nomination form, can be found on the Best Places to Work Awards website.
Should you have any questions about the process, eligibility criteria, or the upcoming HR Summit, please reach out to the GamesIndustry.biz team via the contact information provided on the site. Remember, the clock is ticking, and the opportunity to have your hard‑won achievements recognized by your peers is within reach.
Submit your nomination today, join us at the HR Summit to discuss the evolving landscape of people management, and celebrate the winners on 1 October at the Best Places to Work Awards ceremony.