How to enter 2023’s Culture Pioneer Awards

Cultivating an exceptional culture is critical to creating strong organisations and demonstrating successful leadership. Why not be recognised for your efforts by entering our 2023 Culture Pioneer Awards?

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The 2023 entry period is now open!

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Our 2023 categories

Brand

The Culture Pioneer Brand Award is for organisations that are committed to nurturing a working culture that represents their brand identity.

We’re seeking applications from businesses that are on a mission to cultivate a culture that is authentic to (and supportive of) its brand. Organisations are welcome to focus on any brand type – e.g. employer, consumer or corporate – or a combination of brand types in their entry.

This category gives entrants the opportunity to showcase the organisation’s approach to creating (or sustaining) a great place to work – where company values are lived and breathed, and a strong sense of purpose is shared.

Entrants will be asked to select one of the following subcategories based on organisation size:

Small organisations: 1-99 employees
Medium-Large organisations: 100+ employees

Wellbeing

The Culture Pioneer Wellbeing Award is for organisations that are consistently evolving their employee wellbeing strategy and taking a holistic approach to support the mental, emotional, financial and social needs of their whole workforce.

We’re looking for people leaders and teams who are working towards creating an environment that cultivates energy, psychological safety, resilience and adaptability.

This category gives entrants the opportunity to demonstrate how they are taking the responsibility of wellbeing seriously to create sustainable improvements for all employees, no matter their circumstances.

Entrants will be asked to select one of the following subcategories based on organisation size:

Small organisations: 1-99 employees
Medium-Large organisations: 100+ employees

Learning

The Culture Pioneer Learning Award is for businesses that are cultivating a culture that proactively supports the way that their organisation learns, adapts and grows.

We’re seeking applications from leaders, teams and businesses that can demonstrate not only how they build business-critical skills across the organisation, but also how they harness the ongoing process of learning.

This category gives entrants the opportunity to showcase their commitment to learning at an individual, team and organisational level, in a climate where skills development is a key component to employee retention.

Entrants will be asked to select one of the following subcategories based on organisation size:

Small organisations: 1-99 employees
Medium-Large organisations: 100+ employees

Inclusion

The Culture Pioneer Inclusion Award is for organisations that are creating meaningful, sustainable improvements in workplace inclusion and belonging.

We’re looking for people leaders and teams who are working to create a psychologically safe environment in which every employee feels respected and valued as their authentic self within the business.

This category offers entrants the opportunity to illustrate their passion and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion regarding all employees within the organisation – ensuring that no one gets left behind.

Entrants will be asked to select one of the following subcategories based on organisation size:

Small organisations: 1-99 employees
Medium-Large organisations: 100+ employees

Sponsored by: Culture Amp

Culture Amp

The entry process

We are now welcoming UK-based organisations, people professionals and teams to enter the Culture Pioneer Awards.

The awards are free to enter and our application process is designed to showcase the culture journey you have been on – not simply an introduction of new practises.

For more details on how to craft a successful entry, download our useful guide.

What we are looking for from entrants

Tell us in detail about the work involved to improve or sustain your company culture – the motivations behind it, the challenges you’ve faced and the successes you’ve achieved.

The scale of the achievements is not important. We aren’t looking for best-in-show. This is about celebrating people who are committed to an ongoing journey to cultivate their company culture.

Showcase your culture successes across four criteria

1. The why

The objectives, vision and challenges for your organisation’s culture.

2. The what

Your actions to achieve this vision and overcome challenges, paying particular attention to actions that are unique and creative.

3. The impact on people

Evidence of how your culture-crafting actions have positively impacted employees across the organisation.

4. The impact on the organisation

Evidence of how your culture-crafting actions have positively impacted your organisation and wider communities.

“Culture is not what you say it is – it’s how it feels.”

Being a Culture Pioneer feels like that rare combination of privilege and duty. This awards programme brings attention to how a fabulous culture – the shaping of which is in thousands of deeds, words and sensations – really is what matters in helping people flourish in their work.”

Reasons to enter the Culture Pioneer Awards

As well as the pride that comes with entering and winning an award for you and your team, there are other benefits to entering the Culture Pioneers Awards.

Attracts talent

Showcases your company as a great place to work to help attract the best talent in a candidate-driven market.

Creates positive PR

Boosts your organisation’s external reputation and enables your brand to stand out among your competitors, with culture as part of your USP.

Retains employees

Supports your efforts to motivate, engage and retain your organisation’s existing workforce, and helps mitigate any impact experienced from the Great Resignation.

Boosts credibility

Raises your organisation’s profile as a culture change champion in a climate where putting people first has never been more important.

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