Written by Sarah Clarke, Co-founder of Think Organisation (June 2025)

The 2025 Greater Manchester Good Employment Awards celebrated employers across the city-region who are leading the good employment movement.

In this blog, we welcome Sarah Clarke, who has wrote a brilliant piece about the awards - not just to share what happened, but why it mattered.

On Thursday evening, I had the privilege of attending the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter awards which exuded everything a great organisational culture should be.

It wasn’t just the inspiring stories or the well-deserved recognition. What struck me most was the atmosphere: authentic, collaborative, and inclusive.

Too often, awards nights can feel like a race to the top. A polished badge. A shiny sticker for the highest bidder or the loudest voice in the room. But this was different.

Before I'd even entered the building it was great to hear how Naheed Nazir was creating an inclusive culture at The Manchester Metropolitan University, because whether you're in the NHS, a corporate office, a charity, or local government, culture is all about people. It is about "how we do things around here". People bring values, behaviours, and beliefs into every workplace and I have seen hundreds unique cultures which help catapult successful businesses, turn around poor performing businesses or build a movement. Because culture isn't sector specific - it is human.

Culture isn’t limited by sector

At our table, businesses shared stories, not egos. Ideas flowed, not elbows. The buzz was electric as people from different businesses caught up with each other, genuinely happy when their competition won or took home a coveted award. One standout moment was seeing the Transport for Greater Manchester Bee Network win Most Improved Employer of the Year. Built on a purpose, this collaboration of multiple suppliers and partners working together to bring together and raise standards across a complex network had delivered - so much so there wasn't enough room on the stage! It was a perfect example that culture doesn’t belong to a single team, department, or even organisation. Culture is co-created, shared, and lived. No one supplier could have won this award, but collectively they did 🐝.

The Culture of Manchester

There was competition, but it was friendly banter, no cliques, no cold shoulders. There was curiosity, encouragement and a genuine sense of mutual pride in each other’s progress. Organisational culture influences how decisions are made, how people are treated, how success is defined and how challenges are handled. This awards showcased the essence of Manchester, that unmistakable friendly spirit of collaboration, innovation, and getting things done. A thoroughly enjoyable event brought together seamlessly by Ian MacArthur, Sharon McDonnell and team, hosted by Michael Taylor and supported by sponsors, many of which have been involved since the charter was founded

In my experience some of the most powerful cultural shifts happen through cross-sector learning. As I looked around the room, I imagined each table as its own organisation. Everyone has the same purpose: to great good employment, yet each organisation achieved it in their own unique way. And just like in real life, when one table did something differently, such as laughed louder, connected faster, listened more intently, other tables noticed and subtly adjusted. Culture is contagious like that.

So whether you're leading a hospital team, a tech company, Carrs Pasties Ltd or a council department - the goal is the same. Creating a self-regulating culture where people can thrive, contribute meaningfully and feel proud of the impact they make. Just like Ian MacArthur and his team have done, creating a movement and a culture of good employment which has benefited over 500,000 employees and 1,500 employers which is growing every day. By raising employment standards, the Charter helps businesses attract and retain talent, improve productivity and enhance the economy, benefiting everyone.

How Industry Awards Should Be

Having attended and won at various awards over the years, I can honestly say this was my favourite event to date. One of the highlights was seeing the progress of businesses like Firstplay Dietary Foods. I first met Linda Fletcher and Tom Fletcher when they’d just joined the charter (we happened to sit together at their very first awards night). Back then, they shared their vision of creating a great place to work but weren’t yet sure how to get there. This was the reason Linda said they joined the charter. Fast forward, and now they were nominated for the best Culture Change Award, a testament to how far they’ve come.

Another reason is that real tears were shed when Nick Cooper won Leader of the Year. Secretly nominated by his team, Nick's warmth, willingness to learn and sense of purpose showed that great leadership can create a great place to work. The best bit? No marketing agency wrote a slick submission, no glossy presentation and no entry fee to pay to be in the running.

Just real people putting forward a genuine leader because he made a real difference.

Because if we’re serious about championing great workplace culture, it can’t just be about individual accolades. It has to be about the collective effort. The shared commitment to fairer employment, better standards and creating workplaces where people genuinely want to show up each day.

They say if you love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life. That might be a stretch for some, but having a good job, one that’s safe, respectful and engaging, should be a basic human right. After all, we spend around a third of our lives at work.

And that’s what struck me most on Thursday night and as I reflected over the weekend. When awards are done right, they remind us of what really matters: not just winning, but working together. Raising standards. Listening. Learning. Lifting each other up. That’s the real victory.

Because culture isn’t sector-specific - it is human.

2025 Greater Manchester Good Employment Award Winners:

⭐ Leader of the Year — Nick Cooper, Adept Corporate Services

⭐ Partner of the Year — ACAS

⭐ Mayor's Employer of the Year — Datesand

⭐ Best for Cultural Change (Small) — One+All

⭐ Best for Cultural Change (Large) — Carrs Pasties

⭐ Best for Inclusion (Small) — CERT Property

⭐ Best for Inclusion (Large) — Manchester Metropolitan University

⭐ Best for Financial Wellbeing (Small) — Datesand

⭐ Best for Financial Wellbeing (Large) — POWWR

⭐ Most Improved (Small) — Envair Technology

⭐ Most Improved (Large) — The Bee Network