This category celebrates the innovative use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to elevate the internal communications function. Whether used for strategic planning, creative sparring or tactical execution, the winning entry will show how AI acted as a force-multiplier for the team. Judges will look for evidence of how AI sharpened thinking or streamlined workflows, backed by clear markers of success – such as increased output, improved engagement or measurable budget or time savings – all while demonstrating transparency and ethical implementation.

This category celebrates a transformative initiative or initiatives that has made an intrinsic difference to the way an organisation functions. Entrants must paint a clear picture of the culture prior to the programme’s inception; and explain how they identified the changes they intended to make. As well as explaining how they initially identified the cultural shift they deemed necessary and the benefits that would bring, they should reveal the measures they used to ensure that their desired outcomes were achieved.

The winning entry for this category will explain clearly how employee advocates were initially identified and what measures were employed to sustain engagement and safeguard positive results. It will detail the channels used for communications, and explain the guard rails in play that ensured employees had the freedom to express themselves authentically while keeping solidly and safely on-brand and on-message. Crucially, the entry will also demonstrate the mutual benefits for both the individual and the business, backed by clear evidence of impact.

This award celebrates an initiative that has helped embed inclusion into company culture through such features as visionary leadership, authentic story-telling and evidence-based practices. More than simply seeking to satisfy compliance, the winning entrant will demonstrate a tangible sense of belonging, be tailored to diverse needs, feature accessible resources, and be able to demonstrate success through both inclusive narratives and measurable markers.

Generating much more than simply the giving and receiving of awards, the winner of this category will demonstrate how their programme was able to go much further and engage and galvanise the organisation, boost morale and reinforce company culture. Entrants should outline the whole programme from start to finish, detailing for example how categories were designed to showcase the whole organisation as well as put employees centre-stage; how those entry requirements were communicated in order to garner the best possible entries; and how the judging process was conducted in a visibly fair and transparent way. Finally entries should highlight the particulars and merits of the prizegiving ceremony itself, as well as how the winners’ and the programme’s success were communicated and celebrated across the business.

Whether it be a transformative town hall, a wellbeing week or an innovation hackathon, this category celebrates any event that successfully shifted employee sentiment, understanding or behaviour. The winning entry will demonstrate how a high-impact strategy launch, a learning experience or a powerful cultural celebration was able to capture hearts and minds while providing clear evidence of impact against measurable objectives.

This category celebrates the ability to turn potential disaster into opportunity. The winning entry will first set out exactly what the nature of the crisis was, how it was caused and its potential for damage within the brand or organisation. It will then detail the process used in order to arrive at a solution, and then how that was actioned. And finally it will outline the results of managing the crisis in that way, detailing the measures that were in place in order to judge the effectiveness of that strategy and assessing the overall result within the brand or organisation.

This category celebrates the most creative and effective approach to driving employee engagement and awareness towards a specific internal strategic goal. The winning entry will clearly set out what business insights informed the initial strategy and how it was refined to ensure alignment with organisational goals. It will also detail the robust metrics in place that demonstrate how and why this programme delivered tangible impact against the original objectives.

This category recognises the successful launch of a new digital tool or platform. The winning entry will move beyond the technical ‘go-live’ to explain how the roll-out solved a specific business challenge and improved employees’ digital experience. Judges will look for a clear communications strategy that drove user adoption, addressed potential resistance and utilised effective training or support – all backed by data showing how the technology is delivering its intended value.

This award recognises the most significant positive shift in employee sentiment and engagement over a 12-month period. Based on comparative employee survey results, the winning entry will demonstrate a clear ‘before and after’ story. Entrants must provide supporting employee survey data, which may include actual survey results and/or year-on-year percentage changes for key metrics. Judges will look for a strategic response to previous feedback, detailing how communications were used to address specific pain points, build or rebuild trust, and drive a sustained, upward trend in engagement scores. 

This category recognises a software product or platform that makes genuine appreciation a core part of an organisation’s culture. The winner will showcase a tool that moves beyond generic acknowledgments to foster specific, impact-led recognition at every level. Judges will look for an intuitive platform that encourages users to articulate the details of their gratitude – ensuring employees feel truly seen and heard for their unique contributions. This should be backed by evidence of how the product drives authentic daily interactions and delivers a positive cultural impact; for example, through deepened social connection, reinforced company values or a stronger sense of belonging. 

This category recognises an internal app that has become an essential gateway for the daily employee experience. The winning entry will demonstrate high levels of adoption, showing how the app solves accessibility challenges through intuitive design and seamless mobile functionality. Judges will look for a robust evidence base – combining hard data, such as active usage rates, with qualitative feedback that demonstrates the app’s value in connecting a mobile or distributed workforce.

This category recognises the instant messaging or chat platform that has most effectively streamlined real-time communication and daily operations. The winner will showcase a product that balances speed with clarity, acting as a reliable channel for everything from urgent business updates to essential frontline support. Judges will look for evidence of how the tool has reduced friction in the working day – whether through peer collaboration or rapid problem-solving – while ensuring that messaging remains inclusive and accessible for the entire workforce, regardless of location or role.

This category recognises the software product or platform that best enables an organisation to listen to its people and track sentiment. The winner will showcase how survey capabilities, analytics or reporting features have provided actionable insights that make a tangible difference to the daily working life of employees, while building the boardroom confidence needed to influence business strategy. Judges will look for evidence of how data captured by the platform has informed leadership decisions, addressed specific cultural challenges or tracked long-term trends in engagement.

This category recognises a software product or platform that has fundamentally improved how an organisation fosters community and social interaction. The winning entry will showcase an interactive engine for two-way dialogue, peer-to-peer connection or cultural storytelling. Judges will look for evidence of how the tool has created a more inclusive and "joined-up" culture, backed by data on participation and testimonials that demonstrate the product's value in driving meaningful human connection.

This category recognises the software product or platform that best helps Internal Comms teams and their stakeholders stay organised, aligned and on track. The winning entry will show how the product provides an intuitive interface that simplifies complex workflows – from campaign planning to cross-departmental collaboration – while offering clear visibility of projects and deadlines. Judges will look for evidence of how the tool improves team agility, fosters seamless collaboration and ensures the consistent delivery of high-quality communication, while providing the data needed to demonstrate the team’s strategic impact.

This category recognises an intranet that has become the central digital home for its organisation. The winner will showcase a platform that moves beyond a static information repository to become a vibrant hub that employees actively choose to visit. Judges will look for a user-centric design that bridges the gap between all levels of the business, ensuring clear messaging reaches everyone and helping employees keep their finger on the pulse of the company. This should be backed by compelling engagement data – such as daily active usage, social interaction and content contributions – that proves the intranet is a vital tool for connecting the workforce to the company’s purpose and culture. 

This category recognises an agency that has delivered exceptional strategic and creative support to its clients over the past year. The winning entry will show how the agency acts as a true extension of its clients’ teams, providing an objective perspective and fresh thinking to tackle complex internal challenges. Judges will look for evidence of how the agency has earned its status as a ‘trusted partner’ through consistent reliability, high-quality execution and a commitment to robust measurability. Successful entries should demonstrate the agency’s ability to act as a strategic ally – providing the honest counsel and data-led insights needed to move the needle on employee engagement or business performance.

This category celebrates the teams that have acted as the essential bridge between leadership and the workforce over the past 12 months. To ensure a fair comparison of the challenges faced at different scales of operation, three separate awards will be presented based on the total number of employees within the organisation:

Open to teams serving fewer than 50 employees. The winning entry will highlight exceptional ingenuity, showing how a lean function has delivered high-impact, personal communication within a small-scale environment.

This category celebrates the teams that have acted as the essential bridge between leadership and the workforce over the past 12 months. To ensure a fair comparison of the challenges faced at different scales of operation, three separate awards will be presented based on the total number of employees within the organisation:

Open to teams serving 50 – 500 employees. The winning entry will demonstrate excellence in building the foundations of engagement, showing how the team has created structure and consistency as the business scales.

This category celebrates the teams that have acted as the essential bridge between leadership and the workforce over the past 12 months. To ensure a fair comparison of the challenges faced at different scales of operation, three separate awards will be presented based on the total number of employees within the organisation:

Open to teams serving more than 500 employees. The winning entry will showcase a mastery of complex orchestration, showing how the function has aligned a larger, diverse workforce under a unified strategic banner.

This category recognises the individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of internal communications over the past year. The winner will be a practitioner who has not only delivered exceptional results but has demonstrated the leadership and influence needed to act as a ‘trusted advisor’ to their organisation’s leadership. The winning entry will show how the nominee has personally driven a strategic initiative, overcome significant obstacles and championed the importance of the employee voice. Judges will look for a professional who has earned the respect of their peers and shown a commitment to personal growth and the advancement of the profession.