Celebrating Human Connection: The 2026 Global Candidate Experience Awards

Recognizing Excellence in Candidate Experience

In a world where technology often dominates the hiring process, the human touch remains invaluable. Survale, a leader in candidate and employee experience management solutions, in collaboration with the 15th annual CandE Benchmark Research and Awards Program, has unveiled the winners of the 2026 Global Candidate Experience Awards. This prestigious recognition celebrates 43 companies across the globe that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to enhancing the candidate experience.

The awards highlight the importance of empathy and transparency in recruitment, especially in a challenging economic climate. With over 77,000 job candidates sharing their experiences, the program stands as the largest study of its kind, having evaluated responses from more than 2,000 global employers and over 1.9 million job seekers since its inception in 2011.

Finding the Leaders in Candidate Satisfaction

The selection process for the award winners was rigorous, involving comprehensive data analysis based on candidate satisfaction survey scores. To qualify, organizations had to ensure a statistically significant number of responses, with a particular focus on feedback from candidates who were not hired.

Four key questions formed the cornerstone of this analysis, assessing candidates' overall satisfaction, willingness to reapply, likelihood to refer others, and how their experience would influence their future business relationship with the organization. The resulting CandE Score determined the winners, with 66 organizations across North America, EMEA, APAC, and Latin America receiving accolades for their positive candidate experience ratings.

Among the North American winners are notable names such as 7-Eleven, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, and Penn Medicine. The EMEA region celebrates companies like Microsoft and Syensqo, while APAC winners include Diligent and Schneider Electric. Latin America's honorees feature Clarios and Schneider Electric.

A Commitment to Empathy and Connection

Kevin Grossman, VP of Benchmark Research at Survale, eloquently captured the essence of these awards by emphasizing the lasting impact of candidate experiences. He highlighted the challenges candidates face amidst lengthy job searches and the prevalence of AI-driven application processes, which can lead to feelings of alienation. Grossman noted, "Improving the candidate experience isn’t just the right thing to do - it’s a vital long-term investment in relationships, human connection, and sustainable business outcomes in any market."

Survale's ongoing commitment to candidate experience is further exemplified by its Talent Feedback Platform, which provides employers with continuous insights into their recruitment operations. This platform enables organizations to optimize and align their people and processes effectively.

The 2026 Global Candidate Experience Awards serve as a beacon for organizations striving to enhance their recruitment practices. As these exemplary companies have shown, prioritizing empathy and genuine human connection can lead to sustainable success and stronger relationships with future employees.

For those interested in exploring the complete list of award winners, detailed information is available on the Survale CandE Winner page. Additionally, the upcoming virtual CandE Awards ceremony on October 15 offers recruiting leaders the opportunity to learn more about innovative practices in candidate experience.