Digital Workplace Group Awards 2025: Vodafone Group Services – Winner for AI Enablement at Scale
In a year of exceptional AI progress amongst those shortlisted for Digital Workplace Group’s 2025 Awards, Vodafone Group Services earned the AI Enablement at Scale award for delivering a frictionless, AI-enriched employee experience that empowers their knowledge workers globally.
Now in their eighth year, the awards are produced by DWG and celebrate organizations and teams that have excelled in creating well-executed, high-performing digital workplace environments. Find out about previous winners in the awards Hall of Fame and our free report Celebrating the best digital workplaces: 5-year trends from DWG’s awards.
Frictionless AI for a global workforce
Vodafone has set a new benchmark for what’s possible in the digital workplace, with its AI enablement of the workforce at scale. As one judge put it: “Their goal is to deliver a frictionless AI-enriched employee experience that empowers a diverse workforce.” This vision is not just about technology; it’s about enabling people to work securely, productively and inclusively, wherever they are.
A bold Copilot rollout
In August 2024, Vodafone made a bold move: deciding to roll out 68,000 Microsoft Copilot licences. “It’s one of the strongest deployments I’ve seen,” remarked one judge. The journey from pilot to full-scale deployment took less than a year, with Copilot now embedded across core productivity tools and workflows. The result? Real-time, contextual intelligence that helps employees write, analyse and create with ease, driving measurable gains in productivity and engagement.
Governance and partnerships
Vodafone’s journey is distinguished not only by speed and scale, but by its robust governance and cross-functional collaboration. “They have governance and partnership with legal, risk, compliance and procurement,” noted the judges. This strategic orchestration ensured that AI enablement was secure, compliant and aligned with business objectives. Top-down sponsorship, including public endorsement from CEO Margherita Della Valle, empowered rapid decision making and sustained investment.
Driving digital dexterity
Vodafone’s transformation was never just about technology – it was about people. “They’re really leaning into this new way of working,” observed the judges. The WOW (Ways of Working) campaign, Copilot Skill Labs, and a network of more than 1,000 certified champions drove digital dexterity and sustainable change. Employees were empowered to explore, learn and lead, with enablement programmes and targeted engagement ensuring adoption and impact at every level.
Agents: the next frontier
Vodafone didn’t stop at chatbots. “They were the only one with agents… that’s the next step beyond just getting the chatbot out there,” noted one judge. Copilot agents like the RFP Assistant are reshaping how work gets done, delivering contextual, intelligent support across Vodafone’s business functions. This innovation was recognized externally, with Vodafone awarded ‘Agent of Change’ for transforming AI into business impact.
Conclusion
Vodafone Group Services’ journey stands out for, as the judges summed it up: “the very impressive scale and advancement of its generative AI deployment”. By combining strategic clarity, robust governance and people-centric change, Vodafone has created a secure, intelligent and inclusive digital workplace, positioning itself as a true leader in the AI-powered future of work.
Categorised in: → Digital Workplace Group Awards
