The 2026 winners have been announced!

Now in its 37th consecutive year, the RAD Awards champion the very best in employer branding, recruitment marketing and people communications. Agencies in partnership with their clients, as well as in-house teams, enter their most innovative and effective solutions from the past year.

You can view the 19 categories, criteria and entry info from the 2026 RADS in the entry guide. A new entry guide will be available when entries open for the 2027 Awards in July.

Entries are judged by an annually updated panel of industry experts, before the finalists are revealed in late November and winners are announced in January. 2027 judges will be announced in August.

The RAD Awards 2027 will take place on 28 January 2027. The ceremony will be held in the glamorous Great Room of the Grosvenor House Hotel on London’s exclusive Park Lane. The evening will consist of a sparkling drinks reception, three-course menu, celebrity entertainment, awards ceremony and after-party. We’ll see you there!

Find out more about the 2026 winners

Fostering South West campaign brings children closer to home

The message needed to bust misconceptions about who can foster, and led to a significant increase in enquiries.

Global NGO’s campaign shows there is Work Worth Doing

The NGO undertook an impactful first employer branding campaign thanks to deep research and insight.

Day in the life format wins early careers candidates over for Hogan Lovells

In a competitive market, the law firm came up with an always-on, constantly evolving brand campaign that showed candidates the real picture.

In-house brand experts power up the Sanofi Feeling at pharma giant

The company built a Center of Excellence that delivered global consistency and drove brand performance.

KFC Europe’s START program shows the value of refugees

The campaign featured employees who are also refugees, drawing an emotional response that encouraged support and donations.

SCS JV brings engineering to life, brick by brick

A custom-built tunnel boring machine made from Lego inspired school pupils, teachers and parents to consider a career in engineering.

Knight Frank puts real estate careers on the map

A social-first, influencer-backed campaign drew in Gen Z candidates to design their dream property.

Environment Agency grows green ambitions with Green Careers Live

An immersive event at the Science Museum inspired young people to consider career paths in sustainability.

Skyscanner shows staff they’re the Real Deal

The travel company wanted to capture and reflect its vibrant working culture through intensive research and confident branding.

Ministry of Justice locks in the perfect match with new tool

The Match Me Tool showed candidates the range of roles available in the prison service, and which opportunities might be most suitable.

Hogan Lovells gets personal with This is Me campaign

These raw and powerful stories of law firm staff were told through thoughtful cinematic direction and artistry.

Campaign shows a bright future at Lloyds Banking Group

Don’t Wake Up To Dull broke away from traditional corporate recruitment campaigns with a concept based around Monday mornings.

Mitchells & Butlers adds a new learning star to its roster

Building on the success of learning platform Mable, Tams helps employees understand the benefits of career development at the hospitality chain.

Aegon steals the show with heist game assessment

The insurer took a radically different approach to contact centre recruitment, building positive brand association while streamlining hiring processes.

Frasers takes a bold approach with Find the Fearless campaign

Stories from real employees show that career progress in retail is fast-paced for those who are willing to take on the challenge.

Nordeus ups its employer brand game with site refresh

The mobile games company gave candidates a more approachable experience and applicants are better informed.

Aegon takes the boredom out of onboarding

The life insurance company wanted to broaden its pool of applicants while enhancing the joining experience, through process reimagination and manager training.

Gloucestershire breathes new life into careers in midwifery

Facing a shortfall of midwives, this NHS Trust shared what made it special through powerful storytelling and a spoken word poem.

The archive

Within the archive you can find out more about previous RADS finalists and winners.

Why enter the RADS?

Celebration
Our lavish award ceremony offers the perfect opportunity to reward your staff with a wonderful evening of entertainment at the glamorous Grosvenor House Hotel.

Recognition
Winning or getting shortlisted for a RAD signifies that your work is of the very highest standard, elevating you above the competition and helping you win new business, retain clients and attract talent.

Reach
Campaigns are showcased to the RADS’ community of talent professionals and influencers as well as a knowledgeable judging panel of agency and in-house recruitment marketing experts.

Inspiration
The Awards night and judging process offer the perfect setting to appreciate the work that others in the profession are doing and an invaluable source of ideas and learning.

Join the RAD Awards mailing list

To get updates about the RAD Awards including deadlines, shortlist and winner announcements, click the button below.

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After 35 years the RADS remains the premier event for our industry, combining the best work, the best range of categories and of course, the best night out in the calendar!

Gavin Anderson
Gavin Anderson
Group Managing Director
ThirtyThree
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The RAD Awards raise the benchmark for recruitment marketing every year, which is testament to the quality of entries, thoroughness of the judging and glam of the actual ceremony.

It really is the biggest event in the industry calendar!

Manj Azizul
Manj Azizul
President & Co-founder
Pink Squid
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RAD Awards are the most credible, historic and sought-after awards to win!

Fin O'Kane
Fin O'Kane
CEO
Wiser