Offering the opportunity to showcase HR initiatives making a real difference in these categories, companies with 500 or more employees were invited to nominate their teams and programs. After a thorough review of the submissions, the exceptional organizations advancing to the finals will be:

• Avery Dennison
• Banc of California
• Blackstone
• Bristol Myers Squibb
• BVI Medical
• Cornerstone
• Dow
• EY US
• Fortitude Re
• Johnson Controls International
• LRS
• Marriott International
• Sequoia Living

Among the finalists, HR Executive noted a talent acquisition effort that cut time-to-fill by 50 percent, a development program for high-potential employees with a 98 percent retention rate and a learning investment designed to set the foundation for a company-wide digital transformation.

“Inside every thriving workplace, there is an HR team that is reimagining talent strategies and implementing breakthrough technologies,” said Elizabeth Clarke, Executive Editor of HR Executive. “With the HR Icons Awards, we’re proud to honor the teams whose innovation and impact are redefining what’s possible and shaping the future of work.”

Echoing Clarke’s sentiment, Katherine Childress, Vice President, HR Community, shared, “The HR Icons Awards are a powerful extension of what HR Executive and HR Tech have always stood for: recognizing the people and practices driving meaningful change in the workplace. These finalists exemplify the spirit of innovation that we aim to capture, and we’re thrilled to celebrate their achievements on this year’s stage.”

The winners of the new HR Icons Awards will be announced at the inaugural HR Icons Awards Evening, scheduled to take place at HR Tech 2025, which will be held at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas this September. The event will also honor the recipients of HR Executive’s other longstanding awards, which have been bestowed for decades. Register now to join the celebration by visiting https://www.hrtechnologyconference.com/register.