Celebrating Good Employment: Manchester’s Best Shortlisted 2026

Businesses and organisations from across Greater Manchester have been shortlisted for this year’s Good Employment Awards. Their efforts are being celebrated for leading the way with good employment practices across the city region. 

In Manchester, the LGBT Foundation and Hive, have both been nominated for Best for Inclusion (Small). A category sponsored by Seddon.  The Manchester Football Association has been nominated for Best for Employment Culture (Small). In Bury, Faith In Nature has been shortlisted for Best for Health & Wellbeing (Small).  

In Stockport One & All and Datesand have been shortlisted for Good Employment Culture (Small), a category sponsored by Carrs Pasties. In Wigan, Happy Smiles Training has been shortlisted for Best for Inclusion (Small). And in Rochdale, Envair Technology has been shortlisted for Health and Wellbeing (Small). 

Larger groups are also being recognised.  Stockport Council, KeolisAmey and Greater Manchester Housing Partnership have been nominated for Best for Inclusion (Large). 

Adept Corporate Services, Manchester Metropolitan University and Citizens Advice Manchester have all been nominated for Best for Good Employment Culture (Large), sponsored by Carrs Pasties. The Komi Group and Great Places Housing and Seddon have been nominated for the Best for Health and Wellbeing (Large) category, sponsored by Acas.  

The Greater Manchester Good Employment Awards were established by the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter to celebrate excellence in employment practices across the region.  

The awards, now in their fifth year, recognise employers who are leading the way in creating fair, inclusive, and supportive workplaces. These employers have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to good employment practices, including secure and flexible work arrangements, employee engagement, and promoting health and wellbeing 

“We’re genuinely proud to support the Greater Manchester Good Employment Awards 2026. At Carrs Pasties, we believe good employment is about treating people properly, creating opportunities, and building a workplace where teams feel valued and supported.

These awards shine a light on organisations doing exactly that. We’re honoured to sponsor the Best for Good Employment Culture category, a category that celebrates great employment culture across Greater Manchester. Good luck to everyone nominated!” Joe Carr – Managing Director, Carrs Pasties,

 “As a family-run construction business rooted in Greater Manchester, we know that truly good employment means creating workplaces where everyone feels welcome, valued, and able to thrive. Sponsoring the Best for Inclusion award is our way of celebrating organisations that are pushing boundaries and setting the standard for inclusive employment.

While our sector still faces challenges in attracting diverse talent, we’re committed to learning, improving, and playing our part in building a more inclusive future for our industry and our region.” Craig Carney – Head of Human Resources, Seddon.

The awards champion work underpinned by a commitment to equality, fair pay, and giving employees a say in how their workplaces are run.   

“We’re really looking forward to this year’s Greater Manchester Good Employment Awards, which recognise the employers continuing to put people first in a rapidly changing world of work,” said Carol Halford, Head of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter Unit.    

At a time when organisations are navigating significant economic, technological and workforce challenges, the commitment shown by our employers to fair pay, secure work and inclusive workplaces is a strong example of what good employment looks like in practice.    

Through their commitment to good employment, these employers are making a real difference to workplaces across our city region and we’re grateful to our sponsors for supporting the Awards and helping us celebrate this work.”  

The headline sponsors for this year’s awards are Ward Hadaway “We are delighted to support this year’s Greater Manchester Good Employment Awards because it aligns perfectly with our own firm’s objective of backing ambition across the Northwest. The Awards celebrate organisations that recognise the power of placing people at the heart of their success. They shine a spotlight on employers who are raising standards across our region, celebrating workplaces that enshrine a culture where everyone can thrive. And in doing so, they highlight the business and social benefits of this people-centred approach.” Laura Darnley – Business Immigration and Employment Law Partner, Ward Hadaway

The full list of shortlisted organisations is also available at: 

https://www.goodemploymentawards.co.uk/#/shortlist