Irish HR Champion Awards 2026

Congratulations '26 winners click here for more details

Irish HR Champions Awards celebrate the hard work and dedication of HR teams – operating at the front line, delivering ambitious programmes, impacting business performance and transforming employee experience. The Awards recognise the success, innovation and business focus of HR delivering the best strategies across: Employee Engagement – Talent Acquisition – Corporate Social Responsibility – Employer Branding – Change Management – Wellness Strategy – Learning and Development – Diversity – Leadership.
#HRChamp26. Celebrating 11 Years

2026 Winners

IHRC 2026 WINNERS
CHAMPION EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY
The Winner is Primeline Group

CHAMPION CHANGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME
The Winner is Bidvest Noonan

CHAMPION LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
The Winner is Dept. of Enterprise, Tourism & Employment

CHAMPION LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME
The Winner is HPE

RISING STAR
The Rising Star is Emmet Kavanagh, Intact Insurance

CHAMPION WELLBEING STRATEGY
The Winner is Rehab Group

CHAMPION TALENT ACQUISITION STRATEGY
The Winner is Rehab Group

CULTURE CHAMPION
The Winner is Glenveagh

CHAMPION EMPLOYER BRANDING STRATEGY
The Winner is Irish Rail

CHAMPION DIVERSITY & INCLUSION STRATEGY
The Winners are
Intersport Elverys &
National Treasury Management Agency

CHAMPION CSR STRATEGY
The Winner is Intact Insurance

CHAMPION USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN HR
The winner is UPMC

THE IRISH HR CHAMPION OF THE YEAR 2026
is Julie Mernagh, Bidvest Noonan

about us

DONNA O’CONNOR, BlackSquare

HR Champion Awards was established in 2016 by Donna O’Connor, Founder BlackSquare

Donna is an imaginative communicator, creating transformative conversations for HR & business leaders across Workplace Wellbeing, Mental Health, Culture Change, DEI and Inclusive Leadership.

She is an experienced live & virtual event creator, event host & detail oriented project manager.

email donna at donna@blacksquare.ie

call donna 086 837 0577