Sony Music hits the right note as Business Culture of the Year 2024 Winner

Sony Music has been crowned the overall winner at the Business Culture Awards 2024, taking centre stage at a sold-out event held at the iconic De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. 

The annual celebration, now in its ninth year, brought together leaders from across the globe to honour organisations championing workplace cultures that are as inspiring as they are impactful.

In his opening remarks, awards founder Tim Pointer reminded attendees of the power of choice in shaping the future of work: "To be in this room you have chosen to respond to the challenges in our society and business community. It is a choice to put diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging at the centre of our work; a choice to support colleagues volunteering to make a difference in their local communities; a choice to prioritise women’s and men's physical & mental health; and a choice to champion a safe and secure workplace.”

This year's awards showcased an unparalleled diversity of talent, with finalists from as far afield as the United States, Ukraine and Taiwan, all embodying a shared commitment to building organisations driven by social purpose, equity and accountability.

Sony Music stood out for its multi-pronged approach, demonstrating the most comprehensive approach in its methods, scales of deployment and quantitative and qualitative metrics. The win cements their reputation as a global leader not only in entertainment but also in workplace excellence.

Reflecting on the achievements of all finalists Pointer emphasised the collective power of collaboration. "This network has the potential to achieve so much more when we share. We’ve seen organisations that truly listen to their people, support colleagues when and how they need it and invest in building cultures that win in tomorrow’s world,” he said.

As the official media partner, The People Space congratulates all winners and celebrates their achievements in setting new benchmarks for outstanding business culture.

Check out the full list of winners who are reshaping the workplace landscape for the better.

Winners 2024

Business Culture Awards: Overall Winner

Winner: Sony Music UK

Best Business Transformation Initiative (over 3k employees)

Winner: Evri
International Winner: Cathay Financial Holdings Co.
Finalists:
Astra Zeneca - Global Operations
Heidelberg Materials + Dragon Learning
Project Management Institute (PMI) + Kin&Co
University of Bath + The TCM Group

Best Business Transformation Initiative ( under 3k employees)

Winner: Utility Warehouse + People Made
Highly Commended: Dishoom
Finalists:
Mosca Direct
Navigator Tissue UK
PMW
Sephora UK

Business Culture Builder Award

Winner: XPS Group
Highly Commended: WestSpring IT
Finalists:
Goodbody
Navigator Tissue UK
Samsic UK
UST

Best Business Culture Definition Award

Winner: Stick + Twist
Highly Commended: Project Management Institute (PMI) + Kin&Co
Finalists:
Entrepreneurial Spark
Mosca Direct
Primark + Click

Leading with Purpose for Business Culture

Winner: Noble Foods
Highly Commended: Mitie
Finalists:
Axon
CAE Technology Services
Farmak
Provide Community + ETS
Quilter
TSB + Hive Learning
UST

Sponsored by Coach Adviser

Best Brand & Values Initiative for Business Culture

Winner: Danone
Highly Commended: Mosca Direct
Finalists:
Axon
Chivas Brothers
Dishoom
Independent Governance Group + CoachAdviser
Netsurit

Sponsored by Brands with Values

Future Workplace Readiness Award

Winner: Cathay Financial Holdings Co.
Highly Commended: Modulr + Hive Learning
Finalists:
Astra Zeneca - Global Operations
Aux Services
British Heart Foundation

Sponsored by Manageable

Best Coaching, Mentoring &/or Personal Development Initiative for Business Culture

Winner: Stick + Twist
Highly Commended: VML
Finalists:
Airwallex
Cambridge University Press & Assessment
Dishoom
EDF Energy + t-three
GXO Logistics
Shared Services Connected
UST

Sponsored by EMCC

Best Talent Approaches for Business Culture

Winner: Wise
Highly Commended: Dole plc
Finalists:
Chivas Brothers
GXO Logistics
Samsic UK
Talent Point
Taylor & Francis

Sponsored by Gattaca Solutions

Building a Culture of Innovation Initiative

Winner: Provide Community + Provide Digital
Finalists:
Dishoom
UST

Best CSR/Corporate Sustainability Initiative

Winner: UST
Highly Commended: Viasat
Finalists:
Gattaca
MIGSO-PCUBED
Noble Foods
Patron Capital

Best Learning Initiative for Business Culture (over 3.5k employees)

Winner: Starbucks Coffee (UK) Ltd
Highly Commended: EDF Renewables + t-three
Finalists:
Amcor + The Culture Club
Astra Zeneca - Global Operations
BT
Danone
Dole plc
HSBC + VIVIDA
Mitie
Unicredit

Best Learning Initiative for Business Culture (under 3.5k employees)

Winner: Dishoom
Highly Commended: Outsourced Events
Finalists:
Argent Energy
CAE Technology Services
MIGSO-PCUBED
Netsurit
Noble Foods
On + Manageable
Talent Point
The Crown Estate + dragonfish

Best Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiative (over 2k employees)

Winner: AECOM
Highly Commended: Cambridge University Press & Assessment
Finalists:
EDF Renewables + t-three
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Skipton Building Society
UST

Best Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiative (under 2k employees)

Winner: Sony Music UK
Highly Commended: Gattaca
Finalists:
MIGSO-PCUBED
Pernod Ricard UK
Scott Bader Company
Skyscanner
XPS Group

Best Wellbeing Initiative for Business Culture (over 1.5k employees)

Winner: Farmak
Highly Commended: Shared Services Connected
Finalists:
Alzheimer's Society
Dishoom
Unicredit

Best Wellbeing Initiative for Business Culture (under 1.5k employees)

Winner: Navigator Tissue UK
Highly Commended: Pernod Ricard UK
Finalists:
BITĖ LIETUVA
G2
MIGSO-PCUBED
Provide Community

Best Working Environments & Practices Initiative

Winner: XPS Group
Highly Commended: CAE Technology Services
Finalists:
MCBS Electrical
MIGSO-PCUBED

Best Internal Communications Strategy for Business Culture

Winner: Healthcare Homes Group + ETS
Highly Commended: BT
Finalists:
Goodbody
Newton
Pan American Energy

Best Employee Voice Initiative for Business Culture (over 3.5k employees)

Winner: Maria Mallaband Care Group + ETS
Highly Commended: Elis UK
Finalists:
HSBC + VIVIDA
Mitie
Pan American Energy

Best Employee Voice Initiative for Business Culture (under 3.5k employees)

Winner: Macmillan Cancer Support Direct Services + The Culture Club
Highly Commended: Quilter
Finalists:
Alzheimer's Society
Associazione Campus Bio Medico
Talent Point

Business Culture Leadership Award

Winner: emc3 - Alistair Graham
Highly Commended: Stick + Twist - Nick Baker
Finalists:
Axon - Mike Ashby-Clarke
CAE Technology Services - Natalie Hailey
Noble Foods - Duncan Everett & Louisa Hogarty
Patron Capital - Keith Breslauer

Business Culture Team Award

Winner: Zopa Bank - Zopa People Team
Highly Commended: Noble Foods - Noble Leaders Group
Finalists:
AtkinsRéalis - Behaviour and Culture Facilitators
Danone - Global Culture & Engagement Team
Unicredit - Group Culture Team & Allies
University of Liverpool + Kaplan Open Learning - Liverpool Online
UST - Office of Values & Culture

Next Generation Award for Business Culture

Winner: Mitie
Finalists:
Alzheimer's Society
Viasat
Wise

Best Integration & Merger Initiative for Business Culture

Winner: HSBC Innovation Banking
Finalists:
Atlas Hotels

Best International Initiative for Business Culture

Winner: Popular + dragonfish
Highly Commended: Dole plc
Finalists:
Argent Energy
Cathay Financial Holdings Co.
Danone
On + Manageable
Unicredit
UST

Best Large Organisation for Business Culture

Winner: Dole plc
Highly Commended: UST
Finalists:
Axon
Cathay Financial Holdings Co.
Danone
Heidelberg Materials + Dragon Learning

Best Medium Organisation for Business Culture

Winner: Sony Music UK
Highly Commended: Argent Energy
Finalists:
Dishoom
MIGSO-PCUBED
Navigator Tissue UK
Noble Foods
Quorn Foods
Taylor & Francis
Zopa Bank

Best Small Organisation for Business Culture

Winner: MyOhMy Events
Highly Commended: Independent Governance Group + CoachAdviser
Finalists:
Airwallex
Gangmasters Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) + Capgemini Invent
Signable
WestSpring IT

Best Public Sector Organisation for Business Culture

Winner: Northumbria University + The Culture Builders
Highly Commended: University of Bath + The TCM Group
Finalists:
Isle of Wight Council + NHS South, Central and West CSU
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
UK Government Department + Capgemini Invent

Best NGO/Non-Profit Organisation for Business Culture

Winner: Alzheimer's Society
Highly Commended: British Heart Foundation
Finalists:
FITC (Financial Institutions Training Center)
Macmillan Cancer Support Direct Services + The Culture Club
Provide Community
Tiro Association of Arts (TAA)

Business Culture Consultancy of the Year Award

Winner: Dragon Learning
Highly Commended: Project X Partners
Finalists:
dialogueSA
elaworld
Mind & Matter Consulting
Quirk Solutions
The Culture Builders
The Culture Club
The TCM group
We Are Brass Tacks