Meet the Top 12

FAQ

• Is this paid or sponsored?

  No. There’s no pay-to-play and no paid placements.

  No one can buy a spot in the Top 12. Selection is based on the published criteria and supporting evidence.

  The awards are run by Compono as our contribution to the field of HR in ANZ.

• Who can be nominated?

  Anyone working in HR or People & Culture across Australia and New Zealand can be nominated.

  That includes in-house HR leaders, specialists, people leaders, and practitioners who are creating real outcomes and lifting the profession.

• Can I nominate myself?

  Yes. Self-nominations are welcome.

  Include a short summary of your work and a few links or examples that show outcomes (initiatives, programs, resources, talks, posts, case studies, results).

• Who can nominate?

  Anyone can nominate: colleagues, peers, leaders, clients, and community members.

  You don’t need a formal connection to the nominee, but you should be able to explain why they should be recognised and share any supporting links.

• Is this based on follower count?

  No. We’re not awarding based on follower count or popularity.

  Reach can be a signal, but we prioritise real influence... work that changes outcomes, decisions, capability, or behaviour.

   

• What do you mean by “real influence”?

  For these awards, influence means you can point to change that happened because of the person’s work, for example:

  → measurable people or business outcomes

  → programs that actually landed and stuck

  → programs that actually landed and stuck

  → practical tools, frameworks or education used by others

  → leadership in high-stakes moments (change, growth, crisis, transformation)

  If it’s improved how people work, and there’s evidence, it counts.

• How do you choose the Top 12 ANZ list?

  We review nominations against the published criteria and supporting evidence.

  We look for a combination of:

  → impact and outcomes

  → credibility of claims (not hype)

  → consistency over time

  → contribution to the HR community (inside and/or beyond their organisation)

  We also manage duplicates and verify details where needed.