Cambridge University Press & Assessment in the Philippines wins at Asian Management Excellence Awards 2026

The organisation won the Philippine Employee Engagement of the Year - Technology and the Philippine Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year - Technology categories.

Publishing and assessment organisation, Cambridge University Press & Assessment in the Philippines landed two major wins at the esteemed Asian Management Excellence Awards 2026 for successfully building a data-driven employee engagement strategy that puts employees' voices at its core, as well as an inclusive workplace where colleagues of diverse backgrounds can thrive.

The organisation, which won the Philippines Employee Engagement of the Year and the Philippines Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year categories for Technology, cultivates a human-centred workplace where engagement is an ongoing, shared experience that helps employees become satisfied in their work.

This achievement is especially meaningful as it marks the organisation’s first time joining the Asian Management Excellence Awards, making the recognition even more significant. It also builds on a strong track record of accolades over the past three years, including a three-year Great Place To Work® Certification™, as well as recognition from HR Excellence Awards Philippines and HR Tech Asia in Singapore recognising their thriving workplace culture, leadership, and D&I initiatives.

The organisation has created a system that captures employee sentiment at every stage of the employee lifecycle: candidate surveys, induction surveys, role-transition check-ins, anniversary conversations, and the Global Engagement Survey. They also utilise the Great Place To Work® Trust Index© survey as an external tool, providing a balanced view by complementing internal insights with a trusted global benchmark.

Insights obtained from these check-ins are translated into action through design thinking sessions and cross-functional collaboration amongst talent management & retention, talent acquisition, HR operations, and staff networks.

Such an approach has led to initiatives like their progressive take on the traditional Employee Handbook and Code of Conduct, expanded mental health and family care benefits, Zen Break mindfulness sessions, various manager workshops inspired by candidate feedback, and enhancements to wellbeing and engagement programmes.

The organisation has also transformed onboarding from a three-day orientation into a six-month, immersive integration experience. This journey combines curated learning, structured community-building, and role-specific support. It features the Buddy Programme to provide peer guidance and accelerate connections, a sequenced series of learning sessions to build cultural alignment, and practical tools to navigate work expectations and internal networks.

Other activities, such as Milestone Fest and monthly town hall meetings, also provide regular opportunities for connection and celebration, whilst transparent communication, recognition, and wellbeing programmes reinforce trust and psychological safety across the organisation.

Meanwhile, the organisation’s diversity and inclusion approach is intentional, community-driven, and continually evolving. To co-create inclusive policies that truly reflect the needs of employees, HR works closely with local staff networks. This partnership has led to expanded parental and family care leave, improved mental health resources, flexible work options, and more inclusive recruitment practices.

New hires also receive Conscious Inclusion Training and participate in community activities. Staff networks provide safe spaces, mentorship, advocacy, and direct input into policy design, whilst transparency is emphasised through annual Gender Pay Gap reporting and new Gender Opportunity Gap measures.

These efforts have produced tangible improvements: stronger support for parents and carers, fairer hiring, deeper psychological safety, and an environment where people feel empowered to be themselves.

“Through these strategic, intentional, and co-created initiatives, Cambridge University Press & Assessment in Manila continues to build a workplace where engagement is not a programme, but a lived experience, one that nurtures fulfilment, fosters community, and enables every colleague to thrive,” the organisation said.

Cambridge University Press & Assessment in the Philippines is proud to join the ranks of last year’s distinguished winners, including: Bank of the Philippine Islands (Philippines) – Employee Engagement of the Year - Banking; SCB TechX (Thailand) – Thailand Executive of the Year & Thailand Team of the Year - Technology; Baiduri Bank Group (Brunei) – Brunei Employee Engagement of the Year (Banking) and Executive of the Year - Banking; PT Pertamina (Indonesia) – Employee Engagement (Energy) and Darmawan Prasodjo for Executive of the Year - Energy; Sun Life Grepa (Philippines) –  Employee Engagement - Wellness; Forte (Cambodia) – Cambodia Executive of the Year - General Insurance; and SB Finance (Philippines): Philippines Team of the Year - Financial Services.

The Asian Management Excellence Awards celebrates the finest business leaders, innovators, and companies in Asia, recognising exceptional achievements in employee engagement programmes, diversity and inclusion projects, and health and wellness initiatives.

The Asian Management Excellence Awards is presented by Asian Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2027 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's employee engagements and management initiatives, please contact Danica Avila at [email protected].