Setting the benchmark for excellence in internal communications for another year, the Internal Communications and Engagement Awards has revealed its winners for 2024, shining a spotlight on an industry that can often feel overlooked.

As a profession that can often seem to be tinkering behind the scenes of a business, internal communications can sometimes feel overlooked. Countless times I have been to conferences and events where internal communications professionals have voiced concern over the lack of recognition their work receives or the size of their departments. 

For six years, Communicate magazine’s Internal Communications and Engagement Awards has been giving the industry the recognition it deserves, shining the spotlight on fantastic and vital work taking place one sparkling awards evening at a time. Our extensive categories list accentuates the value internal communications brings to a business, demonstrates the role of the internal communicator within an organisation and celebrates the creativity that continues to be channelled into the profession. We keep our awards abreast of wide variety of trends and challenges facing the sector, with four new categories being added on this year: ‘Best ongoing commitment to internal communications,’ ‘Best intranet,’ ‘Best internal communications in a crisis’ and ‘Best innovation.’

As was proven at the ceremony, internal communications departments are a hub of creativity, curating campaigns that are bringing tangible change to stakeholders. It is a pleasure to watch the awards grow and develop each year to reflect a dynamic and invaluable industry. Our Grand prix winner this year is Sage, having launched a campaign designed to galvanise its regional teams and curate a culture of trust and transparency.

It is always a pleasure to sit in the room as rigorous judging unfolds and I am delighted to share the winners list as follows:

CAMPAIGNS AND COMMUNICATIONS

Best internal communications campaign: Large business under 10,000 employees
Gold – Travelport
Silver – CFA Institute and H&H
Silver – LRQA
Bronze – Arm
Bronze – Sopra Steria
Highly commended – Viridor and We Are Brass Tacks

Best internal communications campaign: Large business over 10,000 employees
Gold – Sage
Silver – Aviva
Silver – Bupa and Altadicta
Bronze – Arcadis and FGS Global
Bronze – Moody's
Highly commended – Deloitte UK

Best communication of change or business transformation
Gold – GreenSquareAccord
Silver – Colt Technology Services
Silver – Yorkshire Water and WPA Pinfold
Bronze – Amcor and The Culture Club
Bronze – Phoenix Group
Highly commended – VeloBank

Best internal communications campaign across multiple markets
Gold – Sage
Silver – Bird & Bird and 106 Communications
Silver – Unilever and MGA
Bronze – Philip Morris International
Bronze – Philip Morris International – Perception of the Global Digital Consumer Engagement Program

Best alignment of internal communications with external messaging
Gold – Travelport
Silver – Colt Technology Services and The Team
Bronze – Avanti Communications and THREESIXTY

PROCESS

Best use of data
Gold – Sage
Silver – Flutter UK&I and Chatter Communications

Best use of content
Gold – Philip Morris International – Inside IT Webcast Series
Silver – Sopra Steria
Bronze – Philip Morris International: The Pod – an Operations Podcast

Best use of storytelling
Gold – Unilever and MGA
Silver – Cloud Software Group and The Why Agency Ltd.
Silver – Colt Technology Services
Bronze – Biffa and We Are Brass Tacks
Bronze – phs Group

Best evaluation process of internal communications
Gold – Arriva Rail London and 106 Communications

Best ongoing commitment to internal communications
Gold – Arriva Rail London and 106 Communications
Gold – Irwin Mitchell
Silver – Royal Mail and Linney
Bronze – Regional Jet Center and La Plume Media
Bronze – Viridor and We Are Brass Tacks

OUTPUTS AND DELIVERABLES

Best use of mobile or apps
Gold – Sevita and Oak Engage
Silver – Aggregate Industries

Best intranet
Gold – Blake Morgan LLP
Silver – Philip Morris International – IT Hub Revamp
Bronze – Sevita and Oak Engage

Best use of audio
Gold – Colt Technology Services
Silver – Philip Morris International: The Pod – an Operations Podcast
Bronze – Philip Morris International – IT DRIVE Podcast

Best use of video and animation
Gold – CGI and LEAP Create
Silver – Aviva and Sequel Group
Bronze – Anglo American and H&H
Bronze – Unilever and MGA
Highly commended – Biffa and We Are Brass Tacks

Best event
Gold – Arm
Gold ­– Sage
Silver – Travelport and The Culture Club
Bronze ­– IBM and The Team
Bronze – Quantexa and Tonic
Highly commended – Dunelm and Meet & Potato

Best internal publication: Print
Gold – Royal Mail and Linney
Silver – Boskalis
Bronze – GLS Netherlands and La Plume Media
Bronze ­– The Glenmorangie Company, LVMH

Best internal publication: Digital
Gold – AB Agri
Silver – An Garda Síochána
Silver – The Glenmorangie Company, LVMH
Bronze – Gowling WLG

CULTURE AND PURPOSE

Best communication of corporate culture
Gold – Northern Powergrid and WPA Pinfold
Silver – Places for People
Bronze – Bird & Bird and 106 Communications
Bronze – BNP Paribas Bank Polska SA
Bronze – VeloBank
Highly commended – JTI and Ignis

Best DE&I initiative
Gold – CGI and LEAP Create
Silver – IAG Cargo and Something Big
Silver – The Police Uplift Programme and Blue Goose
Bronze – Aggregate Industries
Bronze – JTI and Ignis
Highly commended – Philip Morris International – PMI IT Women in Tech Community

Best engagement of corporate purpose
Gold – Bridgestone EMEA and Sequel Group
Silver – Maxeon Solar Technologies and Hill & Knowlton

SECTOR

Best internal communications by a charity, NGO or NFP
Gold – GreenSquareAccord
Silver – Karbon Homes
Bronze – Places for People

Best internal communications from the education and public sector
Gold – University of East London – Royal Docks Innovation and Enterprise 125th Anniversary Summer Festival
Silver – An Garda Síochána
Bronze – The Policy Profession Unit and Connect Internet Solutions Ltd

Best internal communications from the energy and utilities sector
Gold – Northern Powergrid and WPA Pinfold
Gold – Yorkshire Water and WPA Pinfold
Silver – Biffa and We Are Brass Tacks
Silver – Viridor and We Are Brass Tacks
Bronze – So Energy

Best internal communications from the financial services sector
Gold – Aviva
Silver – Phoenix Group

Best internal communications from the FMCG, food and beverage sector
Gold – Unilever and MGA
Silver – JTI and Ignis
Bronze – The Glenmorangie Company, LVMH

Best internal communications from the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector
Gold – Bupa and Altadicta
Silver – Cygnet
Bronze – Sevita and Oak Engage

Best internal communications from the manufacturing, agricultural, engineering and basic materials sector
Gold – Amcor and The Culture Club
Silver – Bentley Motors
Bronze – AB Agri
Bronze – Aggregate Industries
Bronze – Maxeon Solar Technologies and Hill & Knowlton

Best internal communications from the professional services sector
Gold – Arcadis and FGS Global
Silver – Deloitte UK
Bronze – Blake Morgan LLP

Best internal communications from the property, construction and facilities management sector
Gold – phs Group

Best internal communications from the retail sector
Gold – Dunelm and Meet & Potato
Silver – Poundland and Meet & Potato

Best internal communications from the technology, media and telecommunications sector
Gold – Sage
Silver – Arm
Silver – Product Madness
Bronze – Quantexa and Tonic
Bronze – Virgin Media O2 and Chatter Communications

Best internal communications from the transport and logistics sector
Gold – Bridgestone EMEA and Sequel Group
Silver – Arriva Rail London and 106 Communications
Silver – Royal Mail and Linney
Bronze – IAG Cargo and Something Big

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

One to watch
Winner – Meghan O'Neil – So Energy
Finalist – Rachel MacManus – Cygnet
Finalist – Nic Slack – Irwin Mitchell

Internal communicator of the year
Winner – Shoshana Whybrow – Sage
Finalist – Carly Murray – The Surgery
Finalist – Rhianne Sarna – Colt Technology Services

Internal communications team of the year
Winner – Sage
Finalist – Deloitte UK
Finalist – Places for People

GRAND ACCOLADE

Grand prix
Winner – Sage