Entries Open for Future of HR Awards 2026 as South Africa’s HR Leaders Invited to Showcase Excellence
Entries Open for Future of HR Awards 2026 as South Africa’s HR Leaders Invited to Showcase Excellence. Topco Media has officially opened entries for the Future of HR Awards 2026, inviting human resources professionals, teams and organisations from across South Africa to submit their achievements for national recognition.
The awards programme celebrates innovation, leadership and excellence in the HR profession and will conclude with a gala ceremony on 15 October 2026 at The Indaba Hotel in Johannesburg. The event will take place alongside the Future of HR Conference 2026, bringing together HR practitioners, business leaders and industry stakeholders.
According to Topco Media, the awards recognise organisations and professionals that are transforming workplaces through innovative people strategies, strong organisational cultures and employee-focused initiatives.
The programme is open to organisations seeking to showcase successful HR practices while benchmarking their work against industry peers.
Participants will have the opportunity to gain recognition within South Africa’s HR sector, strengthen their employer brand and highlight the impact of their people management initiatives.
Organisers say the awards also provide an opportunity for HR teams to celebrate their achievements in front of industry leaders and colleagues during the annual gala event.
This year’s entries will be evaluated by an independent panel comprising HR executives, business leaders and industry experts. The judging panel includes Francois Sieberhagen, Elizma Els, Shirley Zinn, Tumelo Seaketso and Kershini Govender, among other professionals.
In addition to welcoming award submissions, Topco Media has opened category sponsorship opportunities for organisations interested in supporting the programme. Salga and Ornercy have already joined as category sponsors for the 2026 awards.
As part of this year’s campaign, entrants are eligible to submit up to two complimentary entries by using the promotional code FOHRA2026 when completing their submissions through the official awards portal.
Entries are open across multiple award categories designed to recognise achievements by individuals, teams and organisations that have contributed to advancing the HR profession.
Topco Media said the initiative aims to highlight the work being done by HR professionals to strengthen workplaces, improve employee experiences and support organisational performance.
The awards have become an annual platform for recognising leadership and innovation in South Africa’s human resources sector while encouraging organisations to share best practices and celebrate outstanding achievements.
The deadline for submissions is 21 August 2026, after which entries will undergo the judging process ahead of the awards ceremony in October.
