Honouring Corporate and Higher Education Leaders
Submit your application HERE

50 Heads of HR

from leading Asian and global companies

20 Heads of Executive Education

from top business school

Mission: To recognise achievements and elevate organisational, leadership and people development.
Since 2017, MERIT has been providing a unique forum for HR and L&D directors of international companies from different industries and executive education leaders. Further to our mission to empower people and organisations and elevate the state of corporate learning “The MERIT” have been designed to award impactful transformational initiatives.

Why Enter/Benefits:

•     GAIN RECOGNITION in an international community of HR/L&D and higher education leaders
•     GROW YOUR NETWORK connecting with executives and experts from different countries
•     BENCHMARK - share your insights into best practices and learn from fellow professionals
•     CELEBRATE your achievements and boost your team’s motivation
•     ENHANCE YOUR COMPANY PROFILE with free marketing and PR exposure 

Who can participate:

HR, Talent, L&D, and Executive Education professionals, alone or together with partner organisations such as consultancies, and learning providers. 

“We received very valuable feedback from the judging committee on our program and how to present it. This helped to make the next iteration of the top talent program more effective.”

Jerry Pico, Daiichi Sankyo

“It was a very well organized summit at a great location, both Lisbon and our and host NOVA Business School were amazing. The list of topics selected and people attending the summit were quite inspiring and led to lots of networking and side chats.”

Yannis Koutroulis, Deutsche Telekom

„We learn so much from gathering with others passionate about education – the MERITS Awards energized me for the future.“

Mary Carey, INSEAD

Do you need more information about the application process/terms and conditions?

How to participate:

You can submit your best initiatives in the following areas:

•    Organisational Development
•    Leadership Development
•    People Development
•    Innovation in Higher Education § Learning

There will be several award categories in each area, taking into consideration:

•    The organisation type and size (e.g. SME or Large);
•    The geographical outreach of the initiative – local, regional, global;

* The organisers and judging panel reserve their right to assign or reassign your project to a category based on their interpretation of your project's goals and strengths.

Do you need more information about the application process/terms and conditions?

NOVEMBER 2024 WINNERS

Category: Leadership Development - Global
ESMT Berlin for Schaeffler Global Leadership Excellence Program


Category: Leadership Development - Middle East
Roche Pharmaceuticals for RISE - Roche IE Inclusive Leadership Program


Category: Leadership Development - North America
The Ivey Academy at Ivey Business School for Qualico Leadership Blueprint: Building the Future


Category: Innovation in Higher Education & Learning
LIBF MENA and Asia & IU Group for Syntea: AI Study Assistant


Category: People Development - Global
WongDoody by Infosys for Enter the WongDoody SkillZone


Category: People Development - Middle East
Zain Group for Zain Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity University - IDEU


Audience Choice:
IE School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs for Refugee Camp Simulation


Special recognition:

Innovation in Assessing Leadership Capability
metaBeratung - Hogan Distributor for Redefining Leadership in the Digital Age


Developing Women Leaders
National Bank of Kuwait for NBK RISE - Global Women's Leadership Initiative


Best Digital Upskilling Initiative
Forvis Mazars Group for Global Digital Academy


Social & Environmental Impact
IE School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs for Refugee Camp Simulation


Organisational Change
INSEAD and Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA for 25 Years of Seizing Opportunities




MAY 2024 WINNERS

Category: Innovation in Higher Education & Learning
IE University for "Eye In The Storm: Your Role In Climate Change Action"


Category: People Development
Thoughtworks for "Talent Tech as a Differentiator"


Category: Leadership Development
em lyon & Capgemini France for "Making Leaders, Wave 5"


Category: Leadership Development - Medium – Size Company
Enento Group for "We Lead Emotional Agency – Leadership Program"


Category: Organisational Development
Iveco Group for "Voice"


Audience Choice: Mars Petcare for "The I&D Rockstars"


NOVEMBER 2023 WINNERS

Category: Innovation in Higher Education
emba X for "Executive MBA ETH Zurich and University of St.Gallen"


Category: Innovation in Learning
HUH Corporate for "Conversational Learning from Employees’ Mobile"


Category: People Development
ESSEC Business School & Ministry of Tourism Saudi Arabia for "Trailblazers Training Program"


Special jury award “Impact on Society”
Bpost International for "Bpost Boost"


MAY 2023 WINNERS

Category: People Development

   SoftwareOne for for “The SoftwareOne Academy”
     Initiative Poster.pdf

 • Runner-up:

  Insight222 for “myHRfuture PLAY at Brambles”
     Initiative Poster.pdf

Category: Organisational Development

   INSEAD Executive Education for “TCS and INSEAD: Transform and Grow – “Ablaze” and “Arise”
     Initiative Poster.pdf

 • Runners-up:

  Randstad & London Business School for “Transformational Leadership Program (TLP) and Leading Transformation in the Digital Age (LTDA)”
     Initiative Poster.pdf

  Aalto University Executive Education and Professional Development for the “Telia-Aalto EE 5G Boost Development Program
     Initiative Poster.pdf

Category: Leadership Development

   Emlyon business school & CADIF for “Leading with Care and Ambition”
     Initiative Poster.pdf

 • Runner-up:

  AESE Business School for “LEAP – Leadership Accelerator Program for PwC Portugal”

Category: Innovation in Higher Education

   Hult International Business School for “Preparing Undergrads for the World – Hult BBA Redesigned”
     Initiative Poster.pdf

 • Runner-up:

  Fontys University of Applied Sciences for The Career Fitness Journey
     Initiative Poster.pdf

Employee Wellbeing Champion – Special Mention:

  Deutsche Telekom for “One Minute to Arrive”
     Initiative Poster.pdf

2022 WINNERS

Leadership Development: ING for Think Forward Leadership Experience (TFLE)

People Development: IE University & Amazon for Amazon Despega Online Training Program

Organisational Development: ASG & ShaeVitality for AI Epigenetic Vitality Program at ASG EMEA

Innovation in Higher Education: NOVA School of Business and Economics & StartsSe for xBA - Exponential Business Administration Program

2022 SPECIAL MENTIONS

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: The CITI Women Leadership Development Program

Executive Development Partnership: The Danfoss-INSEAD Strategic Excellence Program

Innovative Learning Strategy: Xprtise & AskAlrijne - Learning at the Moment of Need

People Development – SME: Corilus & Squid Consulting – Shape Up Our Talent Program

Culture Change: Daiichi Sankyo Europe – Better Conversations & Coaching Executive Certification Program


2021 WINNERS

Leadership Development Global: Novartis for The Unbossed Leadership Experience

Leadership Development Europe: Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. for European Top Talent Programme

Virtual Leadership Development: Thales for Digital Development Center

Leadership Development Corporate Academy: Vetropack for Vetrocademy Leadership Development Programme

People Development: LinkedIn for The Business Leadership Programme

Organisational Development – Europe: Deutsche Telekom for Digital Escape Rooms

Organisational Development – Asia: Omega Healthcare Management Services, India for Human Potential Based Restructuring

Innovation in Higher Education: INSEAD Executive Education for Catalysing Leadership in a Digital World

Do you need more information about the application process/terms and conditions?

Criteria:

The review of your application will be based on four main criteria – the 4 “I”s:

•    Ideation – needs analysis, approach, design;
•    Implementation – stakeholder buy-in, engagement;
•    Impact – on the organisation, its people and the outside world;
•    Innovation – introduction of new ideas, methodology, or technology.

Timeline:

7 March

End of application process  

12 – 27 March

Evaluation of the applications

1 April

Notification of shortlisted contestants

5 – 6 June

The MERITS Summit & Awards: Presentations

6 June

Awards Ceremony

Do you need more information about the application process/terms and conditions?

The jury consists of MERIT Leadership Community members, executive education leaders, and experts.

Speakers Lisbon , September 2021

Do you need more information about the application process/terms and conditions?

Submission is free. Selected entries are expected to attend the summit and do a short presentation of their initiative in the form of a case study. All applicants will be expected to book a ticket to the conference, or to have secured the ticket of a delegate representing them in lieu, before receiving eligibility for a showcase presentation. 

To apply for the awards, please complete the form HERE.

Do you need more information about the application process/terms and conditions?

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