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Why Widgit is Among the Most Loved Companies to Work For in the UK.
CULTURE 100 AWARD WINNER I 2026
The Culture Behind Widgit’s Mission to Help People Communicate and Understand
Widgit was built around a belief that everybody should have fair and equal access to information.
For people who find text or communication difficult, the world can quickly become harder to navigate. A sign, a form, a lesson, a medical instruction or a simple daily routine can create barriers when the words are not accessible. Widgit exists to help remove those barriers.
The Warwick-based software company creates symbols and software that support communication, education and understanding. Its Widgit Symbols are used in schools, healthcare settings, homes and public spaces around the world, helping people of different ages, abilities and backgrounds understand information more independently.
At the heart of the business is a symbol set of more than 100,000 Widgit Symbols, available in over 80 languages, designed to support written text through a clear visual language. Those symbols help teachers, parents, therapists, carers and professionals create personalised materials that make communication more accessible in everyday life.
Widgit’s mission is simple and deeply human. Symbols are its world, and the goal is to help ensure no one feels left behind.
Earlier this year, Widgit was named a winner of the Culture 100 Awards, which recognise the UK’s most thriving companies to work for. After reviewing more than 5,000 companies and surveying over 20,000 employees, Widgit stood out for creating a workplace where people feel connected to the life-changing impact of the work and supported by a culture built with care.
That connection matters because Widgit’s work is personal.
Its products can help children beginning to read, people with learning disabilities, autistic people, people with speech and language difficulties, those with English as an additional language and people in moments where clear communication is essential. The work reaches into classrooms, care settings, families and communities, which gives the team a clear sense of responsibility.
That purpose runs through the culture. Widgit has grown from a small family company into a team of more than 60 people, but the focus remains on protecting the spirit behind the business as it scales. The company wants its people to feel supported, valued and able to show up as their true authentic selves.
Jessica Ward, Head of People and Culture, describes Widgit as a business guided by its values of integrity, quality and kindness. For her, the culture is protected by design, through people-first policies, wellbeing support, a strong social scene and a team that stays close to the impact of Widgit’s mission.
That impact gives the workplace its centre of gravity. The team is not simply building software or maintaining a symbol library. They are creating tools that help people communicate, learn, understand and take part more fully in the world around them.
Peter Gee, Commercial Product Manager, says the company’s values are visible every day. He describes kindness as part of what makes Widgit special, showing up in how colleagues support one another and how the team cares for customers. For him, quality means doing things properly and creating products and services that truly make a difference.
Widgit’s values are practical rather than decorative. Integrity means respect, transparency and always communicating openly. Kindness shapes how people treat customers, colleagues and partners. Quality runs through the care taken in maintaining and evolving its symbols, software and resources. Together, those values give the team a shared way to make decisions and work with consistency.
The business has also placed real focus on staff wellbeing. Widgit recognises that people have different needs and circumstances, so it takes a flexible approach to working hours and leave. That flexibility helps people balance work with life outside it, while still contributing to a team with high standards and a clear mission.
Connection is also part of the culture. Most of Widgit’s staff work in a hybrid way, and the business has expanded its Warwick headquarters with a new workspace as the team continues to grow. At the same time, the Widgit Culture Club helps bring people together through social events, charity projects, mindfulness days and seasonal celebrations.
Those moments are important because culture cannot only live in the work itself. For Widgit, the social side of the business helps people build relationships, feel part of the team, and stay connected to one another beyond their day-to-day roles.
The company’s B Corp certification also reflects how Widgit approaches its role in the world. The business scored 117.8 points in its first certification and performed especially strongly in the Workers category, reflecting its commitment to staff and to building a supportive workplace culture.
That certification fits with Widgit’s wider ethos. The company believes business can be a force for good, and that being successful does not sit apart from looking after people, supporting communities and considering the planet. Alongside its values, that belief underpins the way Widgit operates, both inside the office and out in the wider world.
As the company grows, it is also thinking carefully about the future. Widgit is developing its Employee Value Proposition, investing in talent development and succession planning, and continuing to build a culture that can support the next stage of the business.
That matters because growth can put pressure on the very things that make a company special. Widgit’s approach is to protect its culture intentionally, so the kindness, care and purpose that shaped the business from the beginning are not lost as the team expands.
Recognition through the Culture 100 Awards reflects the workplace Widgit has built over many years. Across thousands of companies and tens of thousands of employee voices gathered, Widgit stood out for creating a culture where people are supported and connected to work that has a real impact on the lives of others.
As Widgit continues to champion the power of symbolised communication across all environments, its direction remains clear: help individuals of all ages and abilities find their place in the world, while nurturing a workplace where the people behind that mission feel able to realise their own potential too.
