Employer of the Year Categories

These categories will recognize the world's best employers since the beginning of 2024. Stevie® Award winners will be determined by a unique blending of the votes of employees and the general public, and the scores of industry experts. Nominees in these categories will receive instructions about how to encourage their employees, customers, fans, and followers to vote for them.
    Nominations that won in the 2025 Stevie Awards for Great Employers may be resubmitted for consideration in the 2026 awards. If they have been updated with recent achievements, they may be submitted to the same categories in which they won. If they have not been updated, they must be submitted to categories different from those in which they won.

Information to be submitted online for entries in these categories in the 2026 competition include

  Written answers to the following questions, describing the nominated organization's achievements since January 1 2024, OR a video of up to five (5) minutes in length that answers all of the same questions:

a. Briefly describe the nominated organization: its history and past performance (up to 200 words).  Required
b. Outline the organization's employee-relations achievements since the beginning of 2024 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words).  Required
c. Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant.  If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the organization's past performance (up to 250 words).  Required
d. Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words).  Optional

  Optional (but highly recommended), add to your entry up to 10 webpage links and up to 10 document uploads to support your case to the judges. These might be press articles, press releases, videos, work samples, internal or external reviews, or employee feedback, for example.

A01        Employer of the Year - Advertising, Marketing, & Public Relations

A02        Employer of the Year - Aerospace & Defense

A03        Employer of the Year - Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning (new category for 2026)

A04        Employer of the Year - Automotive & Transport Equipment

A05        Employer of the Year - Banking

A06        Employer of the Year - Business & Professional Services (includes accounting, consulting, legal and other services)

A07        Employer of the Year - Computer Hardware

A08        Employer of the Year - Computer Services

A09        Employer of the Year - Computer Software - More Than 250 Employees

A10        Employer of the Year - Computer Software - Up to 250 Employees

A11        Employer of the Year - Conglomerates

A12        Employer of the Year - Consumer Products - Durables

A13        Employer of the Year - Consumer Products - Non-Durables

A14        Employer of the Year - Consumer Services

A15        Employer of the Year - Cybersecurity (new category for 2026)

A16        Employer of the Year - Diversified Services

A17        Employer of the Year - E-Commerce (new category for 2026)

A18        Employer of the Year - Education (K–12, Higher Ed, Continuing Ed) (new category for 2026)

A19        Employer of the Year - Electronics

A20        Employer of the Year - Energy

A21        Employer of the Year - Events, Exhibitions & Experiences (new category for 2026)

A22        Employer of the Year - Financial Services

A23        Employer of the Year - Fintech (new category for 2026)

A24        Employer of the Year - Food & Beverage

A25        Employer of the Year - Health Products & Services

A26        Employer of the Year - Healthcare Providers (new category for 2026)

A27        Employer of the Year - Hospitality & Leisure

A28        Employer of the Year - Industrial (including chemicals, materials & construction, metals & mining and other heavy industries)

A29        Employer of the Year - Insurance

A30        Employer of the Year - Logistics, Supply Chain & Fulfillment (new category for 2026)

A31        Employer of the Year - Manufacturing

A32        Employer of the Year - Media or Entertainment

A33        Employer of the Year - Non-Profit or Government Organizations

A34        Employer of the Year - Other Industries

A35        Employer of the Year - Pharmaceuticals

A36        Employer of the Year - Real Estate

A37        Employer of the Year - Research Institutes / Think Tanks (new category for 2026)

A38        Employer of the Year - Retail

A39        Employer of the Year - Sports, Fitness & Recreation (new category for 2026)

A40        Employer of the Year - Telecommunications

A41        Employer of the Year - Transportation

A42        Employer of the Year - Utilities

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