It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for.
The shortlist for the IOIC Awards 2026 has been announced!

With almost 300 entries, the Judges commented: "it was a pleasure to see the quality, creativity and commitment, with the entries offering a valuable reminder of the important contribution internal communication makes to organisations."

All shortlisted entrants will receive an Award of Excellence and be finalists for the Class Winner award, with the recipients announced at the Awards dinner. The top scoring entry will also be announced as the Grand Prix Award.

Join us on Thursday 17 September for an celebratory evening set against the backdrop of one of London’s most exclusive venues - the Hurlingham Club. As a private members' club, it is not typically open to the public. Attending the dinner offers a rare opportunity to experience its historic charm and exclusivity - making the evening even more special.

Increasingly people ask to for the details of why entries were shortlisted. This can be diffciult as very often the information shared in an entry is confidential. So, once again this year we asked for an executive summary as part of each entry - you can find these at the end of each category's shortlist.

Judges' critiques will be sent to all entrants in late September.

Thank you to everyone who entered.

Strategy & Campaigns

Best Change/Transformation Campaign
Going Global by Air Astana and Definition
The road to Day one - Aviva acquires Direct Line Group by Aviva Integration Internal Communication Team
Breakthrough Stories by Lloyds Banking Group
From Strategy to Action: Connecting Every Employee to Transformation by Darktrace Employee Engagement
Currys: Right First Time by Currys Internal Comms and The fresh Group
CCEP's Career Hub Learning launch by People & Culture Communications Team, Digital Employee Experience Team
Intact Insurance - Brand Launch by Goldbug & Intact Insurance
Iceland Foods Management Model Change by Cascade Productions

Best Employee Experience Programme
Best Employee Experience Programme - Arup Internal Comms team, UKIMEA region by Arup Internal Comms team, UKIMEA region
ofi: Take Charge of Your Career by ofi & scarlettabbott
CCEP's Employee Value Proposition by People & Culture Communications Team

Best Engagement Programme
How a Digital Dog Inspired People to Love Our Data by Afiniti and Subsea7
Driving Engagement and Clarity During Organisational Change by Gallagher Communication
Intact Insurance - Brand Launch by Goldbug & Intact Insurance
Living our values by Goldbug & National Grid
Havering Council - Internal Communications Team by London Borough of Havering
Number Quest by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
Know the Line: Changing Behaviour to Prevent Sexual Harassment at Network Rail by Network Rail
Switched on to Safety: Transforming Frontline Behaviour Through Internal Communication by RAC Limited & In the Middle Limited
Vice-Chancellor's Awards campaign by University of Southampton

Best Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Campaign
I'm not Jenna by Centrica
Bystander to Upstander by CGI and LEAP Create
Through My Eyes by Volkswagen Financial Services and SomeBrightSpark

Best Global Communications Campaign
From blank canvas to shared strategy: how we launched Arup’s global strategy through co creation and dialogue by Arup Global Internal Communications Team
Bringing International Safer Gambling Week to life by Flutter International Internal Communications team
Make Happy Be Happy 2025 - Cup of Cheer by pladis
Bringing 98,000 people together for the first time at AstraZeneca by Ruder Finn for AstraZeneca
Celebrating PlayStation's 30th Anniversary by Sony Interactive Entertainment
What just happened? by Yusen Logistics with blue goose
Currie & Brown: The value of certainty by Currie & Brown

Best Internal and External Communication Alignment
It will take a Society to beat dementia. Alzheimer's Society. by Alzheimer's Society
Activation Strategy for Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany's new Vision "Sparking Discovery, Elevating Humanity" by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany; Saatchi & Saatchi; MetaDesign
TfL 25 by Transport for London

Best Leadership Communication Programme
The three Ts of leadership comms: Trust, transparency and two-way communication by Arup Global Internal Communications Team
Leading Out Loud: How Open, Two Way Communication Rebuilt Trust and Engagement at DE&S by Defence Equipment and Support
Leadership Comms Vending Machine: Comms to Go! by GSK's Global Supply Chain internal communications team
Strategy 2030: A Confident Evolution by Imperial Brands' Global Communications Team
Navigating together: building a global leadership community that connects, aligns and transforms LR by Lloyd's Register
Nationwide Chief Operating Office Leadership Communications by Nationwide
Turning leadership shine into everyday impact by NWG

Best Listening Programme
Listening With Intent: How Network Rail Made Employee Voice a National Maintenance Standard by Afiniti and Network Rail
Stores Talk by Currys
From Voice to Venture: How Mubadala Turned Employee Ideas into Action Through Mubadara by Mubadala Investment Company and The Engage Group
From listening to action: making every voice count by Nest Pensions and Home

Best Ongoing Campaign
Guided by integrity: bringing ethics and compliance to life at Virgin Australia by Virgin Australia and The Engage Group
Scottish Water: From Compliance to Culture - making safety something people live not follow by Scottish Water and Home

Best Single Campaign
We Shine Brighter Together by Aviva Group Campaigns Team
Start Your Workday Right! by Greene King and 44 Communications
Distinctly Heathrow: Warmth and Joy in Every Journey by Heathrow Airport
Living our values by Goldbug & National Grid
Orange Award Scheme by Sopra Steria
Velocity - Building our Future by Speedy Hire
Celebrating PlayStation's 30th Anniversary by Sony Interactive Entertainment
The Great Big Sparkle Challenge by the Pennon Group PLC Internal Communications team
Service Fest by Welcome Break
WM Trains and HarknessKennett - Best Internal and External Communication Alignment by WM Trains Ltd & Harkness Kennett Ltd
Your Voice: Reinvigorating the Engagement Survey by Tarmac HR and Internal Communication and Engagement Teams

Best Strategic Alignment & Strategy Communication
IWR Igniting our Future in 2026 by Aviva IWR Internal Communications Team
Best Lives, Bolder - Community Integrated Care's Five Year Strategy by Community Integrated Care's Communications Team
Currie & Brown: Creating Certainty by Currie & Brown
Every Move Matters by Sage and H&H
“Unlock the Strategy” - Heathrow’s Escape Room Challenge by Heathrow Internal Communications

Best Sustainability Campaign
One Million Minutes by Arm
Seeds of Change: Inspiring leadership and community impact at Northumbrian Water Group by NWG
Eco Quest by Voyage Care

 

You can find out more about the entries in the executive summaries provided by the entrants

Skills

Best AI Skills in Internal Communication
AI Academy. A learning experience packed with content that puts AI to work by Forty1, part of Inizio Engage
Accelerate, Augment, Redefine: Building Responsible AI Skills in Internal Communication at Network Rail by Kaleb Ells, Network Rail
Roll out of Microsoft Copilot at Royal London by Royal London

Best Design/Imagery
The road to Day one - Aviva acquires Direct Line Group by Aviva Integration Internal Communications Team
Clarins - Transforming Internal Comms Through Design and Intentional Imagery by Clarins x Cocentric
The Makers by ITV and 44 Communications
The LEGO Group's Colleague Experience Brand by The LEGO Group & Interbrand

Best Feature/Writing
The R2-D2 to our Luke Skywalker    by Aviva IWR Internal Communications Team

Best Storytelling
Moments that Changed Me by Aviva Group Campaigns Team
A Vital Spark: How storytelling powered a shipbuilding transformation by BAE Systems Naval Ships Communications Team
The Difference Makers: Storytelling that reconnected 4,000 colleagues with purpose by Internal Communications team, Clarion Housing Group
Reflections: stories of Remembrance, sacrifice and legacy by Defence Equipment and Support
DOME LIFT 2 at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station by EDF Energy and 44 Communications
Breakthrough Stories by Lloyds Banking Group

You can find out more about the entries in the executive summaries provided by the entrants.

Channels

Best Community Management
From Broadcast to Engagement: Transforming SFC’s Internal Communications by Scottish Founding Council x Cocentric

Best Event
Best Event - Top 10 by Admiral Group
End of Year Highlights Event by Battersea
The 2025 Colleague Roadshows: Connecting over 3,000 colleagues through purpose, story and transformation by Internal Communications team, Clarion Housing Group
Dubai Airports' Beyond 2025 Fest by Dubai Airports and Jack Morton MENAT
Related Argent's Autumn Review by Jacqueline Harvey
All in 2025 by Lloyds Banking Group
The Big Get Together - Raising the Roof! by Midland Heart
Raising the Bar Together: Molson Coors UK&I Sales Forum by Molson Coors UK & Ireland
The Naming Ceremony for HMS Glasgow by Naval Ships Communications Team
Every hero shapes our story – colleague strategy event by Nottingham Building Society and Definition
Voyage Excellence Awards (VEAs) by Voyage Care
2026 Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony by Welcome Break

Best Intranet
Robert Walters 'Connect' Digital Workplace by Robert Walters and Addin365
Driving Connection, Culture and Clarity: connect at Rank by The Rank Group Plc
OneESA: From Platform to Powerhouse. Elevating the Digital Experience and Driving Cultural Transformation at the European Space Agency. by the European Space Agency and Gallagher
Creating an intranet that works by the Victoria and Albert Museum
PITSTOP – The intranet that keeps colleagues on track by Volkswagen Financial Services and SomeBrightSpark

Best Magazine
Material Matters by Breedon Group
Reopening the pages of Edition by Edinburgh Airport
SJH Times magazine by Communications Department, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
otm (on the move) by Transport for London
Zest magazine by Voyage Care and Definition

Best New or Relaunched Channel
Robin for Royal Mail by AB
Compass Magazine by PD Ports and AB (Agency Partner)
Journey by Welcome Break
The most ambitious and complex communications relaunch in a generation at West Herts by Communications, Engagement and Design Team, West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Redesigning and relaunching NFU Mutual's bespoke business intranet for insurance agents by The NFU Mutual Internal Communications Team 

Best News Channel
Moto Hospitality - Our Loop App - The Central Heartbeat of Colleague Communication by Moto Hospitality
Pep Talk by PepsiCo UK and beetroot
The Buzz by Voyage Care

Best Podcast
Accelerate Podcast by Currys and Inspired Thinking Group
Skewdio by Skewb

Best Video/Animation
The road to Day One - Aviva acquires Direct Line Group by Aviva Integration Internal Communications Team
Sunflower Extra card – “Your quiet advocate” by Heathrow Airport Internal Communications
Velocity - a visit from the future by Speedy Hire
Your Voice animation by Tarmac and 44 Communications
 

You can find out more about the entries in the executive summaries provided by the entrants.

Innovation

Game Changer
myNews: Making Internal News Personal by Bauer Media Group & Silicon Reef
The Trials of Mrs Tranter by GreenSquareAccord
Intact Insurance - Brand Launch by Goldbug & Intact Insurance
“Unlock the Strategy” - Heathrow’s Escape Room Challenge by Heathrow Internal Communications
The Communicating Organisation by Steam Thermal Solutions (part of Spirax Group) & AB

Innovative Use of Media/Technology
Bellway's innovative Pathway to the effective use of AI by Bellway
Côte Connect – Empowering Teams Through Technology by Côte Brasserie x Cocentric

Most Innovative Content Creation
The Trials of Mrs Tranter by GreenSquareAccord
Values, reimagined: Co-creating culture through immersive, AI-powered storytelling by Nest and Home
Can you trust yourself? by Subsea7 Group Communications and Group IT
 

You can find out more about the entries in the executive summaries provided by the entrants.

Team

Best Small Agency (1-10 people)
HarknessKennett Ltd
Visual Assets

Best Medium Agency (11-30 people)
Cascade Productions
Goldbug
The Surgery

Best Large Agency (30+)
Gallagher Communication
H&H
 

Best In-House Teams

Best In-House Team 1-5 people
Tarmac Internal Communication and Engagement Team

Best In-House Team 6-10 people
Arup Global Internal Communications Team
LR's Internal Communications Team
The Internal Channels and Content team at Network Rail

Best In-House Team 10+ people
Admiral Group
Imperial Brands' Global Communications Team
The LEGO Group - Colleague Engagement Team
 

Best Public Sector or Not for Profit Teams

Best Public Sector or Not for Profit Team 1-5 people
Battersea's Internal Communications team
Havering Council - Internal Communications Team
Met Office Internal Communications and Engagement Team
National Armaments Director (NAD) Group Communications and Engagement Team

Best Public Sector or Not for Profit Team 6-10 people
ACCA's Internal Comms team
Internal Communications Team, NHS Property Services Ltd

Best Public Sector or Not for Profit Team 10+ people
No entries

You can find out more about the entries in the executive summaries provided by the entrants.

People

Best Internal Communication Newcomer
Emma Bryan, Molson Coors UK&I
Ben Croft, Welcome Break
Amelia Erswell, QBE
Nicole Sarmiento Quevedo, Merck KGaA
Freya Smithson, BDO UK

Internal Communication Manager of the Year
Kieran Barter, Skewb
Jacqueline Harvey, Related Argent LTD
Leo Morgan, Welcome Break

Internal Communication Leader of the Year
Myriam Chikirou, Merck KGaA
David Manning, Currys plc
Nicola Marshall, Welcome Break
Misty Oosthuizen, internal communication and change leader
Karen Sawyer, Lloyds Banking Group

 

You can find out more about the entries in the executive summaries provided by the entrants.

*Please note, being the only entry shortlisted doesn’t guarantee a class win.