We are delighted to announce the shortlist for our 2025 Culture Pioneer Awards.

It’s been another tough year for businesses – AI, economic strain, legislative shifts and rising employee expectations have tested the strongest of workplace cultures. And still, the organisations and leaders who genuinely care for their people have dared to lead forward and deliver positive workplace change.

Before the grand reveal, the Culture Pioneers team would like to thank all those who have supported the programme – from the culture shapers entering the awards to the judges reviewing submissions, and our partners and supporters for standing by our mission. We are grateful for your involvement.

With the shortlist revealed below, next on the agenda will, of course, be the winner announcements! This will take place at our Culture Pioneers Leadership Forum, featuring The TCM Group and London HR Connection. The daytime event will take place on 16th October at 30 Euston Square, London, UK. Get your tickets here.

2025 Culture Pioneer Awards shortlist revealed

Explore the full list of our 2025 shortlist below…

Leadership Awards

With a shifting set of demands, those in top positions are under pressure to ensure financial success while maintaining a supportive environment for employees. 

It’s no easy feat, yet the finalists of our Leadership Awards, sponsored by HubStar, demonstrated a tireless pursuit to improve the working lives of their people. With evidence of genuinely pioneering activities across the years, our judges were impressed with the commitment, creativity, and positive change achieved in a turbulent landscape.

People Leader Award

• Angie Lewis, Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust
• James Ferguson, Wurzak Hotel Group
• Janine Leightley, Bright Horizons

Business Leader Award

• Anne Ellis, Mauve Corporate Systems UK Ltd
• Danielle Hunt, Pharmacist Support
• James Fleming, The Power Within Training & Development Ltd

Brand Award

“The quality just keeps getting better and better”. Our Brand Award judging panel was extremely impressed with this year’s finalists. All with unique challenges stemming from their respective industries – from manufacturing to early learning to the space sector – these organisations stood by their mission. They demonstrated that their brand values are foundational to their workplace culture – not just for show.

• Benifex
• Bright Horizons UK
• MOO Print Ltd.
• Siderise
• UK Space Agency

Inclusion Award

A wave of diversity rollbacks among several large (predominantly US) enterprises has put DEI investment under scrutiny for many other businesses. Despite these cutback pressures, our Inclusion Award finalists doubled down on their efforts to build a sense of belonging and psychological safety for their people.

• Bright Horizons UK
• Comic Relief
• Tigerbond
• V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum)
• VizyPay

Learning Award

For many organisations in this tough economic climate, learning and development is getting stripped back to the bare minimum. But not for our Learning Award shortlist.

Leadership role-modelling, organisation-wide learning champions, and ingenuity in making limited resources work hard were all cited as success markers by the judges.

• Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited
• Bright Horizons UK
• Designer Contracts Ltd
• St. Peter’s Hospice
• Tigerbond

Congratulations to our 2025 Culture Pioneer Awards shortlist!

A round of virtual applause to this year’s finalists for their perseverance, courageous moves and, most importantly, their positive impact on workplace culture.Don’t forget, we will be announcing our 2025 Culture Pioneer Award winners on the 16th October at our Culture Pioneers Leadership Forum. Get your tickets here.