Canon Central & North Africa Wins Double Gold at 2025 Brandon Hall HCM Awards

Canon Central & North Africa (CCNA) has been awarded two prestigious Gold Awards at the 2025 Brandon Hall Group™ Human Capital Management (HCM) Excellence Awards®, an international programme often described as the “Academy Awards of Human Capital Management.” This marks CCNA’s first-ever entry into the competition — and a historic achievement as the company walked away with top honours across both categories it entered.

The accolades highlight CCNA’s commitment to talent development, employee experience, diversity, equity, and inclusion, positioning the company as a leader in shaping a people-first workplace culture in Africa and beyond.

Recognised for Transformative HR Initiatives

CCNA won two Gold Awards in the following categories:

1. Talent Management: Best High Potential Development

   • For the CCNA Future Leader Program, a structured and personalised leadership development initiative.

   • The programme prepares high-potential employees for critical leadership roles through a co-led approach involving both employees and managers, supported by HR.

   • Inspired by Canon’s San-ji philosophy — which focuses on self-management, self-motivation, and self-awareness — the programme fosters personal responsibility and organisational growth simultaneously.

2. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Best Learning Program Supporting DEIB

   • For the CCNA Clubs – Express, Elevate, Empower, launched under the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategy.

   • These clubs create spaces for open dialogue, equitable skill development, and inclusivity, ensuring that every employee feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute.

Leadership Reflections

Somesh Adukia, Managing Director of CCNA, praised the recognition as a validation of the company’s people-first philosophy:

“I am incredibly proud of this achievement, with CCNA winning two Gold Brandon Hall Group Awards. These recognitions reflect not only the strength of our programs and the passion of our people, but also the outstanding efforts of our HR team, whose vision and dedication made this achievement possible. At CCNA, we believe our success begins with our employees, and these awards reaffirm our commitment to developing talent and building an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.”

Echoing this sentiment, Deepali Arora, HR Director of CCNA, said the awards reflect the company’s long-term people strategy:

“Absolutely honored to receive this accolade. At Canon, our People strategy is anchored in elevating employee experience, building differentiated capability, and fostering an innovative culture. Initiatives like the Future Leader Program and CCNA Clubs stand as the key proponents of our strategy and have delivered purpose-led impact. A big shout to our leaders and our people for continuing to inspire and embrace meaningful change.’’

About the Brandon Hall HCM Excellence Awards

The Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards® are widely regarded as one of the world’s most respected awards programmes in human capital management. The awards recognise organisations that deliver innovative, impactful, and measurable solutions in areas such as talent management, learning and development, diversity and inclusion, and leadership development.

Winning Gold in its debut entry positions CCNA alongside global industry leaders, underscoring its innovative HR practices and culture of empowerment.

Shaping a Future-Ready Workforce

These recognitions reinforce CCNA’s vision of nurturing a future-ready workforce while promoting an environment of equity, belonging, and inclusivity. The awards not only celebrate achievements in employee development but also demonstrate Canon’s broader ambition of aligning its people strategy with organisational growth and societal impact.

By embedding empowerment, inclusivity, and leadership development into its culture, Canon Central & North Africa continues to set benchmarks for corporate excellence in human capital management across the continent.