Survale, a leading provider of candidate and employee experience management solutions, together with the 15th annual CandE Benchmark Research and Awards Program, now part of Survale, has announced the 43 companies recognized for candidate experience excellence as winners of the 2026 Global Candidate Experience Awards. The announcement underscores the growing importance of candidate experience in a competitive talent market and highlights organizations that are setting standards for how job seekers are treated.
The 2026 program saw 90 companies hiring around the world register to participate, ultimately collecting the thoughts and experiences of over 77,000 job candidates. Since 2011, the CandE Benchmark Research Program has evaluated responses from more than 2,000 global employers and over 1.9 million job seekers, making it the largest study of its kind. Winners were identified through a comprehensive data analysis based on their job candidates' satisfaction survey scores. To qualify, each company committed to a statistically significant candidate response minimum, where the proportion of respondents who were not hired met or exceeded a set standard. The final analysis included four key rating questions that had a significant impact on determining the winners: the candidates' overall ranking of their candidate experience; whether or not they would reapply to the organization in the future; whether or not they would refer other job seekers to the organization in the future; and how the candidates would change their business relationship status with the organization going forward based on their experience.
This year, 66 organizations big and small across multiple industries will receive 56 CandE Awards due to having the highest positive candidate experience ratings in North America; Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA); Asia-Pacific (APAC); and Latin America. The CandEs continue their mission of helping companies focus on candidate experience and the business value it brings to an organization. The 2026 North American CandE Award Winners include 7-Eleven, Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, Alliance Technical Group, BASF Corporation, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Bright Horizons, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Clarios, Clean Harbors, Crum & Forster, CSAA Insurance Group, D2L, Doane Grant Thornton LLP, EchoStar, Edwards Lifesciences, Enterprise Mobility, Erie Architectural Products, Family Care Center LLC, Freese and Nichols, GALLO, Hoag Health System, KeyBank, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Northwell Health, Penn Medicine, Persistent Systems, Principal Financial Group, Progress Residential, Prudential Financial, Schneider Electric, Sunrun, Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Tarrant Regional Water District, Texas Oncology, Tokio Marine HCC, U.S. Bank, United Health Services, Inc., UST, UTHealth Houston, and YKK AP America Inc. The 2026 EMEA CandE Award Winners are Capco, Clarios, Edwards Lifesciences, Enterprise Mobility, Microsoft, Schneider Electric, Syensqo, and UST. The 2026 APAC CandE Award Winners are Diligent, EchoStar, Edwards Lifesciences, Schneider Electric, Syensqo, and UST. The 2026 Latin America CandE Award Winners are Clarios and Schneider Electric.
“In today’s ‘low hire, low fire’ uncertain economy, where job candidates navigate lengthy job searches and talent acquisition teams face screening bottlenecks from increased AI application spam, real candidates will always remember how employers made them feel,” said Kevin Grossman, VP of Benchmark Research at Survale. “Candidates today too often feel alienated by quick application rejections, sparse communications, and post-interview ghosting. Improving the candidate experience isn’t just the right thing to do - it’s a vital long-term investment in relationships, human connection, and sustainable business outcomes in any market. Congratulations to the 2026 CandE Winners for prioritizing empathy, transparency, and genuine human connection amidst modern recruiting challenges.”
The complete listing of 2026 CandE Winners listed by final ranking is available on the Survale CandE Winner page. CandE-winning companies are also asked about their unique approach to improving the candidate experience through case study questions that will be used for research reports, as well as to be considered for the Most Innovative Candidate Experience Improvement Awards to be given away at this year’s virtual CandE Awards ceremony on October 15. The ceremony registration is open for all recruiting leaders and their teams to learn more about the program.
For businesses in Long Beach and surrounding areas, the recognition of companies like Edwards Lifesciences and Hoag Health System, both with significant presence in Southern California, signals that local employers are actively investing in candidate experience. This focus can lead to better hiring outcomes, stronger employer brands, and ultimately more sustainable business growth. As the competition for talent intensifies, the CandE Awards serve as a benchmark for organizations aiming to attract and retain top talent by prioritizing empathy, transparency, and genuine human connection throughout the hiring process.
