How the first HUMANRISE awards ceremony in Kazakhstan went
On 4 June 2026, the first HR case study conference and HUMANRISE Awards Gala took place in Almaty — a new professional platform recognising the best projects in human capital management, employer brand development, and organisational culture across Central Asia and the Caucasus.
The event was organised by Smart Solutions, part of Eclectic Talents Group.
The event brought together around 200 participants, including CEOs, HR directors, HR specialists, employer branding experts, marketers, and media representatives. Participants discussed modern approaches to talent management, organisational culture development, HR process digitalisation, learning and development, and employee engagement.
The HR case study conference was opened by Tetiana Skachko, CEO of Smart Solutions in Central Asia and the Caucasus. She shared the company’s experience in the HR services market and emphasised the importance of systematic employer brand development as one of the key drivers of sustainable business growth.
“Investing in an employer brand means investing in business stability. A strong employer brand helps attract and retain the best specialists, increase team engagement, and build a strong organisational culture. Today, the employer brand is an integral part of the business strategy of successful companies,” Tetiana Skachko emphasised.
Smart Solutions consistently supports the development of the HR community in the region. Since 2024 alone, the company has organised more than 20 business breakfasts, 15 webinars, and online conferences dedicated to labour market trends, changes in labour law, leadership, and employer brand development.
One of the key events of the conference was the panel discussion “Organisational Culture as a Strategy: How Companies Create an Environment Where People Stay”, moderated by Tetiana Skachko. The discussion brought together leaders of international companies and leading HR professionals from the region, who shared practical experience in building a strong organisational culture and retaining talent.
A distinctive feature of HUMANRISE was its practical format: all nominees presented their case studies to a professional jury and the HR community. A total of 25 projects were presented in categories dedicated to organisational culture, learning and development, digital HR solutions, wellbeing programmes, and internal communications.
A special distinction from Smart Solutions, namely the “HUMANRISE Awards Strategic HR Partner’s Choice”, was presented to Efes Kazakhstan’s One Idea University project, which demonstrated an innovative approach to employee development and corporate learning.
The first edition of the HUMANRISE Awards marked an important step in the development of the professional HR community in Central Asia and the Caucasus, creating a new platform for exchanging experience, promoting best practices, and developing employer brands.
For Smart Solutions, participation in HUMANRISE was a natural continuation of the company’s mission — to support businesses in building strong teams, developing leadership, and shaping modern approaches to human capital management. As an international company with Ukrainian roots, Smart Solutions has been supporting organisations in talent acquisition, HR consulting, outsourcing, and employer brand development for more than 17 years.
Today, Smart Solutions operates across eight international markets, combining local expertise with global approaches to workforce management. The company actively invests in the development of professional communities by creating platforms for exchanging experience among HR leaders, businesses, and experts.
We are convinced that the future of competitive companies depends not only on business results, but also on their ability to create an environment where people can fulfil their potential.
