EMPLOYER
BRANDING EXCELLENCE
AWARDS (EBEA)
2026
One of Europe’s Leading Employer Branding Awards
Employer Branding Excellence Awards is one of the few awards programs in Europe dedicated entirely to employer branding.
For 15 years, we have proven that great employer branding has no nationality – it is defined by courage, strategy and authenticity.
We recognize the most outstanding employer branding projects delivered across European markets.
Because being a great employer is not a campaign.
It is the everyday practice of creating exceptional experiences for employees and candidates.
15 Editions.
Hundreds of Projects.
21 Competition
Categories.
One Standard of
Excellence.
EMPLOYER
BRANDING EXCELLENCE
AWARDS (EBEA)
2026
One of Europe’s Leading Employer Branding Awards
Employer Branding Excellence Awards is one of the few awards programs in Europe dedicated entirely to employer branding.
For 15 years, we have proven that great employer branding has no nationality – it is defined by courage, strategy and authenticity.
We recognize the most outstanding employer branding projects delivered across European markets.
Because being a great employer is not a campaign.
It is the everyday practice of creating exceptional experiences for employees and candidates.
15 Editions.
Hundreds of Projects.
21 Competition
Categories.
One Standard of
Excellence.
WINNERS
EDITIONS
CATEGORIES
AWARDS PROGRAMME
WINNERS
EDITIONS
CATEGORIES
AWARDS PROGRAMME
WHO IS
EBEA FOR?
EBEA is designed for everyone who takes employer branding seriously – regardless of organization size, industry or budget.
SMART BUDGET subcategories ensure equal opportunities for organizations working with smaller resources.
Entries may be submitted independently or jointly by an employer and an agency.
Companies
& Organizations
Agencies
& Media Houses
HR Solution
Providers
Submit a project delivered by your internal HR, Employer Branding or Communications team. Every industry. Every scale. What matters is quality and impact.
Showcase campaigns and strategies created for your clients. Projects may be submitted independently or jointly with the client.
Present tools, platforms and solutions that genuinely improve candidate and employee experiences.
Companies
& Organizations
Submit a project delivered by
your internal HR, Employer
Branding or Communications
team. Every industry. Every
scale. What matters is quality
and impact.
Agencies
& Media Houses
Showcase campaigns and
strategies created for your
clients. Projects may be
submitted independently or
jointly with the client.
HR Solution
Providers
Present tools, platforms and
solutions that genuinely
improve candidate and
employee experiences.
WHY
ENTER EBEA?
Prestige
& Recognition
The EBEA Trophy is an industry mark of excellence.
Handcrafted by Polish artists, it sends a clear message to candidates, employees and the market: your organization sets standards rather than follows them. Winners receive the right to use the EBEA Winner logo in recruitment communications, career websites and external materials.
Market Benchmark
Discover where you truly stand – not against your own expectations, but against the best organizations in Poland and across Europe.
Feedback from expert jurors provides insights no internal audit can replace.
Authenticity Over Marketing
We recognize projects rooted in a genuine understanding of employee and candidate needs.
Not just attractive campaigns, but meaningful actions supported by measurable results.
Prestige
& Recognition
The EBEA Trophy is an industry mark of excellence.
Handcrafted by Polish artists, it sends a clear message to candidates, employees and the market: your organization sets standards rather than follows them.
Winners receive the right to use the EBEA Winner logo in recruitment communications, career websites and external materials.
Market
Benchmark
Discover where you truly stand – not against your own expectations, but against the best organizations in Poland and across Europe.
Feedback from expert jurors provides insights no internal audit can replace.
Authenticity
Over Marketing
We recognize projects rooted in a genuine understanding of employee and candidate needs.
Not just attractive campaigns, but meaningful actions supported by measurable results.
Team
Motivation
External recognition strengthens the morale of HR, Employer Branding and Communications teams.
A shared success unites people around a common purpose, validates everyday effort and creates a reason to celebrate.
Industry
Visibility
Winners present their projects during the EBEA Gala, attracting the attention of industry media, potential candidates and business partners.
Selected case studies are featured in HRM Institute reports and publications distributed across Europe.
Industry
Visibility
Winners present their projects during the EBEA Gala, attracting the attention of industry media, potential candidates and business partners.
Selected case studies are featured in HRM Institute reports and publications distributed across Europe.
Team
Motivation
External recognition strengthens the morale of HR, Employer Branding and Communications teams.
A shared success unites people around a common purpose, validates everyday effort and creates a reason to celebrate.
Transparent Process
Every project is assessed by an expert jury using clearly defined criteria.
All evaluations are conducted individually, and final scores are based on the arithmetic average of jury assessments.
No hidden rules.
An EBEA Award is earned.
Submit by 20 July 2026
And Save Up
To 37% On Entry Fees
Transparent
Process
Every project is assessed by an expert jury using clearly defined criteria.
All evaluations are conducted individually, and final scores are based on the arithmetic average of jury assessments.
No hidden rules.
An EBEA Award is earned.
Submit by 20 July 2026
And Save Up
To 37% On Entry Fees
Archer
Community
EBEA is more than an awards program.
It is a community.
Every organization entering EBEA becomes part of Archer Community – a growing network of employer branding professionals who understand that excellence starts with meaningful conversations.
Access non-confidential materials from recognized EBEA projects, including case studies, inspiration and proven solutions.
A space for discussion, experience sharing and relationship-building with employer branding practitioners from Poland and across Europe.
Up to six webinars per year featuring EBEA jurors and winners. Practical conversations about what works in employer branding – and why.
Held annually in Warsaw. An evening that brings Archer Community together and opens the door to new conversations inspired by the year’s most outstanding projects.
An exclusive workshop experience for professionals who want to develop alongside the best in the field. Available exclusively to Archer Community members. Stay tuned.
Download the competition guide
Enter your email address, and we’ll keep you updated on key dates for the 15th edition—including the opening of submissions, price thresholds, and the announcement of nominations. Just EBEA updates.
How to Participate?
Submission
Choose your categories, prepare your project description according to the submission form and submit your entry through the online platform. One form. A clear structaure.
Deadlines
Entries
EARLY BIRDS: until 20 July 2026
REGULAR Entries: until 10 August 2026
LATE Entries: until 3 September 2026
Announcement of Competition Nominations: 5 October 2026
EBEA 2026 Gala: 16 October 2026
Jury
A two-stage evaluation process.
A jury composed of experienced employer branding practitioners, HR experts, employee experience specialists and independent market observers.
EBEA Gala
An evening of awards in Warsaw.
Networking, inspiration, celebrating together – and an official welcome into the Archer Community.
Fees
Clear rules.
The earlier you enter, the less you pay.
Purchase entry packages in advance and submit your entry at a convenient time, no later than 3 September 2026.
Detailed pricing information is available in the relevant section.
Competition
Rules
All essential information regarding the Employer Branding Excellence Awards 2026 can be found in the Competition Rules.
If you have any additional questions, please contact us at: konkurs@hrminstitute.pl.
Submission
Choose your categories, prepare your project description according to the submission form and submit your entry through the online platform. One form. A clear structaure.
Deadlines
Entries
EARLY BIRDS: until 20 July 2026
REGULAR Entries: until 10 August 2026
LATE Entries: until 3 September 2026
Announcement of Competition Nominations: 5 October 2026
EBEA 2026 Gala: 16 October 2026
Jury
A two-stage evaluation process.
A jury composed of experienced employer branding practitioners, HR experts, employee experience specialists and independent market observers.
EBEA Gala
An evening of awards in Warsaw.
Networking, inspiration, celebrating together – and an official welcome into the Archer Community.
Fees
Clear rules.
The earlier you enter, the less you pay.
Purchase entry packages in advance and submit your entry at a convenient time, no later than 3 September 2026.
Detailed pricing information is available in the relevant section.
Competition Rules
All essential information regarding the Employer Branding Excellence Awards 2026 can be found in the Competition Rules.
If you have any additional questions, please contact us at: konkurs@hrminstitute.pl.
Key Dates
15th Edition 2026
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY
AT A TIME THAT SUITS YOU
– BUT NO LATER THAN
3 SEPTEMBER 2026
24 June 2026
Opening of
Competition Entries
UNTIL 20 JUly 2026
Early Birds Entries
– Lowest Entry Fee
UNTIL 10 august 2026
Regular
Entries
UNTIL 3 SEPTEMBER 2026
Late Entries
– Final Deadline for
Project Submission
SEPTEMBER 2026
Jury Deliberations
– Project Evaluation
5 OCTOBER 2026
Announcement of
Competition Nominations
16 OCTOBER 2026
EBEA 2026 Gala
– Awards Ceremony, Warsaw
Key Dates
15th Edition 2026
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY
AT A TIME THAT SUITS YOU
– BUT NO LATER THAN
3 SEPTEMBER 2026
24 july 2026
Opening of
Competition Entries
UNTIL 20 JUly 2026
Early Birds Entries
– Lowest Entry Fee
UNTIL 10 august 2026
Regular
Entries
UNTIL 3 SEPTEMBER 2026
Late Entries
– Final Deadline for
Project Submission
SEPTEMBER 2026
Jury Deliberations
– Project Evaluation
5 OCTOBER 2026
Announcement of
Competition Nominations
16 OCTOBER 2026
EBEA 2026 Gala
– Awards Ceremony, Warsaw
PRZEWODNIK KONKURSOWY
EBEA 2026
Bezpłatny Przewodnik Konkursowy EBEA 2026 zawiera wszystko, czego potrzebujesz, żeby przygotować i złożyć zgłoszenie konkursowe.
WSZYSTKO, CZEGO
POTRZEBUJESZ
DO ZGŁOSZENIA –
W JEDNYM MIEJSCU.
COMPETITION GUIDE
EBEA 2026
The free EBEA 2026 Competition Guide contains everything you need to prepare and submit your competition entry.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED
TO PREPARE YOUR ENTRY –
IN ONE PLACE
COMPETITION GUIDE
EBEA 2026
The free EBEA 2026 Competition Guide contains everything you need to prepare and submit your competition entry.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED
TO PREPARE YOUR ENTRY –
IN ONE PLACE
THE EBEA TROPHY
ARCHER.
A SYMBOL
OF EXCELLENCE
The Archer is not a random choice.
Precision, focus and readiness to act – these are the values that have defined EBEA and those who stand on its stage for fifteen years.
The EBEA Trophy is a unique object – each one is handcrafted by Polish stained-glass artists.
The glass shield featuring the relief of an archer combines artistic craftsmanship with symbolism: precision, purpose and the moment before action – exactly what distinguishes the very best employer branding.
The trophy is not mass-produced.
Each one is awarded to a single winner – and remains with them forever.
THE EBEA TROPHY ARCHER.
A SYMBOL OF EXCELLENCE
The Archer is not a random choice.
Precision, focus and readiness to act – these are the values that have defined EBEA and those who stand on its stage for fifteen years.
The EBEA Trophy is a unique object – each one is handcrafted by Polish stained-glass artists.
The glass shield featuring the relief of an archer combines artistic craftsmanship with symbolism: precision, purpose and the moment before action – exactly what distinguishes the very best employer branding.
The trophy is not mass-produced.
Each one is awarded to a single winner – and remains with them forever.