Referral & Growth
Culture Award 2026
Great companies don’t just attract talent—they grow it.
Get recognized for a culture that powers referrals and development with the Referral & Growth Culture Badge.
Join leading employers setting the standard.
Companies that have been awarded for their Referral Culture
Last years impressions
Companies across Europe participated in the largest-ever Employee Referral Awards, one of the biggest international recruiting awards overall.
Why participating?
Our mission is to highlight the power of employee referrals and growth culture in recruiting. We believe that companies who successfully hire through referrals AND invest in their people's development stand out as exceptional employers. Our Referral & Growth Culture Badge helps you showcase both dimensions, telling potential candidates that your workplace is worth joining and growing with.
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Employer Branding:
Attract Top Talent
Candidates want to join companies where employees recommend the workplace and grow their careers. These badges verify your people culture and help you stand out in a competitive talent market.
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Boost Engagement:
Motivate your Team
Celebrate employees who refer great people and the teams who create development opportunities. This recognition strengthens engagement and shows your commitment to those who build your culture.
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Celebrate Excellence:
Highlighting Success in Human Resources
Strong referral programs and growth cultures require strategic work across departments. Our badges showcase the effectiveness of your talent attraction and development strategies.
All information at a glance
Requirement to get Referral & Growth Culture Badge
To qualify for the Referral & Growth Culture Badge, organizations must meet specific criteria, ensuring the badge's integrity and value. These conditions include:
- A minimum amount of 10 hires in 2025 (for Referral Award).
- Company based in Europe or United States.
- Ability to track hiring through employee referrals and/or development measures.
- Submission completed by 24:00 (midnight) on December 21, 2025
- Every participation receives a badge (level-based)
- Award Options:
- Referral Culture Award (only)
- Growth Culture Award (only)
- Combined Excellence Award (both categories)
How to participate?
Participating in the Referral & Growth Culture Award is free and takes only about 5 minutes. Here's how you can join:
- Simply fill out the participation form available on our website.
- To verify your referral rate (percentage of hires made through referrals and other documentation for personnel development), we require a screenshot as proof (e.g. recruiting software).
- Important: Screenshots are solely for verification purposes and will be securely deleted after verification.
- In January, we will inform you about the results and provide you with your Referral Culture Badge.
Choose your category: Apply for Referral Culture, Growth Culture, or both combined. The form adapts to your selection.
The Culture Badges
Companies with a strong referral program are awarded a Referral Culture Badge, which can be used on social media, career pages, or job postings. Your badge level is determined by comparing your performance to other participating companies across Europe and the US. For Referral Culture, we assess how effectively you leverage employee networks to recruit talent. For Growth Culture, we evaluate your commitment to employee development and internal career opportunities. Each level signifies your standing among peers, with higher levels indicating exceptional performance in building a culture where employees recommend their workplace and grow their careers.
Patron & Referral Expert
Sarah Böning
Sarah Böning is a seasoned recruitment specialist with 20 years of experience in her field. Her impressive track record makes her the perfect patron for the Referral & Growth Culture Award. At her last employer, MHP - a Porsche Company, she was key to the company's significant growth from 300 to over 3,300 employees.
What makes Sarah an exemplary figure for the Referral & Growth Culture Award is her establishment of an exceptionally successful employee referral program at MHP. This initiative resulted in up to 44% of all new hires being sourced through employee referrals and a strong focus on internal development.
