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Your strategy, execution and results, assessed by senior practitioners.
The 2026 edition · Nine markets · One stage
Recognizing excellence. Inspiring futures.
The region's benchmark for employer branding — for organizations that build real experiences behind their promises.
ENTRIES CLOSE26 October 202623:59 CET · Gala in Zagreb, December
CROATIA✦SLOVENIA✦SERBIA✦BIH✦MONTENEGRO✦N. MACEDONIA✦HUNGARY✦ROMANIA✦BULGARIA
25 JunEntries open
31 JulEarly bird −15% ends
26 OctEntries close
15 NovPayment deadline · judging
DecemberAwards gala, Zagreb
01 — Why enter
More than a trophy. A mirror for your employer brand.
Every entry is read by a judging panel of practitioners from the Adria region. Win or not, you leave with a clearer view of where you stand against the best in your market.
Peer benchmark
Size and industry categories compare you with those who compete for the same talent.
Regional visibility
Shortlisted and winning projects are promoted through our media partners across nine markets.
The winner's mark
Show your award on your careers page, job ads and employer brand channels.
Featured case study
Outstanding projects are featured in the Employer Branding Breakthrough Report.
An evening with peers
HR, communication and leadership teams from across the region, together in Zagreb.
02 — The categories
Thirty-seven ways to be recognized
You enter 22 categories; the Grand Prix, sector awards and Best Employer Brand Manager are decided from all entries. One project may be entered in several categories.
01
Grand Prix
Grand Prix Adria and a Grand Prix for each market — every entry from the region is considered automatically.
2 02By company size
Large, medium and small companies — the complete employer brand, judged among peers.
3 03New in 2026
Future Readiness, AI-Enhanced Employer Brand Experience and Managerial Culture.
NEW 04Programme & Campaign Awards
Recruitment, communication, employee experience, growth, well-being, CSR, events and more. Open to organizations worldwide.
15 05Sector awards
Twelve sectors, from retail and banking to IT and manufacturing — no separate entry, decided from all entries.
12 06People
Best Employer Brand Team (entered) and Best Employer Brand Manager (selected from all entries).
203 — How to enter
Four steps to the stage
Open to legal entities registered in the nine participating markets, for work launched or implemented between June 2025 and October 2026.
- 1
Choose your categories
Not sure which fits? Write to us and we will help you choose.
- 2
Prepare one PDF per category, in English
The activity, the business challenge, measurable results and the impact on your employer brand and employee experience. Visuals, video and links welcome.
- 3
Submit the online entry form
Three short steps, with a link to your PDFs (WeTransfer, Google Drive or Dropbox), by 26 October 2026, 23:59 CET.
- 4
Pay by 15 November 2026
Only paid entries are evaluated. Judging begins the same day.
04 — The jury
Judged by those who do the work
JUDGING PANEL
Aleksandra Kregar
Habitus Business ConsultingJUDGING PANEL
Jelena Jelušić
INSPO ConsultingJUDGING PANEL
Mirna Koričan Lajtman
Luxembourg School of Business and ZŠEMJUDGING PANEL
Jelena Mucić
Best Employer Brand AwardsJUDGING PANEL
Vladimir Benić
Best Employer Brand Awards05 — Hall of Fame
The class of 2025
Grand Prix Adria 2025
dm-drogerie markt
“Employer branding is not a campaign — it is a daily responsibility.”Nataša Odak, Head of Human Resources Development, dm-drogerie markt Read the story
MOL Group
Also Innovative Employer Branding Activity, for its employee ambassador programme.
Triglav Group
Also Integration of Employer Brand and Corporate Brand.
A1 Hrvatska
An employee development programme well above the regional standard.
Elixirr Digital
Employer brand aligned with a company-wide transformation.
Decode
Strong culture, stability and professional development.
Petrol
“Beginnings at Petrol” — real salespeople and their first days on the job.
Hrvatski Telekom
A co-lead and triad collaboration model that breaks long-standing silos.
Zagrebačka banka
ZABA Family — life-stage support for the moments that matter.
FIRST EDITION · 2026Employer Branding Breakthrough ReportBEST EMPLOYER BRAND AWARDS ADRIA
New research · First edition
Five case studies. One lesson.
Great employer brands are built through experience, not slogans. The Employer Branding Breakthrough Report brings together the region's boldest employer branding projects — what they did, why it worked, and what you can take from them.
06 — The gala
One night in Zagreb
The 2026 winners will be announced and awarded at the ceremony in Zagreb in December 2026.
MEDIA PARTNERS AND AMBASSADORSBecome a partner →
Can we enter the same project in more than one category?
Yes. Submit a separate presentation for each category, tailored to its criteria.
Which projects are eligible?
Employer brand strategies, activities and campaigns launched or implemented between June 2025 and October 2026, by organizations from any country. Programme & Campaign Awards are open worldwide; the Grand Prix Adria and the Grand Prix per market are reserved for organizations registered in BiH, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia or Slovenia.
Who sees our entry?
Only the judging panel and the organizer's team, on a strictly confidential basis.
Do we need measurable results?
Results carry significant weight in most categories. In Innovative Employer Brand Activity, the originality of the idea weighs most.
Can agencies apply?
Yes — in Best Agency Project, for work delivered together with a client.