EFMD is delighted to announce the 2022 EFMD Excellence in Practice Gold Award Winners.

Since 2007, the EFMD Excellence in Practice (EiP) Awards have recognised outstanding and impactful client-supplier partnerships in the domains of Organisational, Talent, Leadership and Ecosystem Development.

The 2022 Gold Award Winners in the following four categories are:

Organisational Development

Randstad & London Business School
“Accelerating organisational transformation through experimentation, engagement and empowerment”

Renate Deken, Global Head of Learning and Development, Randstad stated, ‘As Global leader in the HR industry our aim is to touch the lives of 500 million people by 2030. We mean this for our own Randstad leaders as well. The acknowledgement of the EFMD award 2022 is a great external recognition for us in the acceleration of our digital transformation on an organisational, team and leadership level since we run this programme in co-creation with London Business School. Establishing a common language for change gave us an opportunity to clarify and articulate why digital transformation is needed and what it entailed. We are extremely proud of this achievement. This award also represents that we are leading by example in the development of corporate leadership globally.’

‘The team at London Business School is delighted and proud to have received this prestigious award..thank you! We have a relentless focus on building long term strategic learning partnerships and designing for impact at London Business School. This award, therefore, is recognition of the outstanding valued relationship that we have developed and nurtured over many years with Randstad and the profound, enduring and sustainable impact at both individual and organisational levels which has been delivered. We have successfully co-created an innovative learning journey that has established a common language of leadership throughout the organisation impacting nearly 5000 leaders and helped drive and accelerate transformation across the business: It is a privilege to have had such a profound impact,’ said Linda Irwin, Senior Client Director Executive Education, London Business School.

Talent Development

OCP & IMD & Africa Business School (ABS)
“Beyond, an ambitious next-level talent development programme”

Faris Derrij, Chief Human Capital & Services Officer, OCP stated, ‘The beyond programme is a key means for testing OCP’s “social contract” and our lifelong learning programme. Beyond serves as a bridge between academia (UM6P) and the professional world (OCP).’

‘For me, one of the programme’s main success indicators was when, after a couple of months of on the job projects, many OCP business leaders called me and asked if they could host Beyonders in their teams. They had heard positive feedback from their peers about the Beyonders’ performance and the quality of their delivery. Even today, they call and say: “Don’t forget to involve me in the second cohort; I will be there for you”. This really lends credibility to the programme,’ commented Taoufik Samsam, Senior Manager Talent Management, OCP

‘Through Beyond and Learnin’Pact, we build capabilities which have brought learning and development to new heights,’ said Latifa Zazi, Vice President of Talent Management & Learning Institute, OCP

Bettina Buechel, Professor of Strategy and Organisation, IMD added, ‘The tight link between the strategic work with OCP’s top management and the talent program’s emphasis on learning and delivering strategic initiatives fuelled OCP’s transformation to the next level and can be scaled through the entire organisation.’

‘At the start of this new decade, we are facing technological mutations, digital leapfrogging and the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning, while the expectations of both employees and clients are changing. To cope with this increasingly complex environment, one must continuously build new skills,’ observed Younes Kchia, Vice Dean, Africa Business School.

Yasmina Lamtiri, Director of Custom Programs, Africa Business School noted, ‘The Beyond programme – given its strong connection to the field- has disrupted both how custom programmes are designed and the purpose of these programmes, which adds to upskilling employees, has become a powerful driver of change within the company.’

Leadership Development

Atos & Harvard Business Publishing
“Developing managers to lead confidently through dual digital transformation”

‘It is with great pride that we accept this award for our LIDA (Leading in the Digital Age) programme. A programme developed and delivered in collaboration between Atos Corporate University and Harvard Business Publishing over a five-year partnership. We established this learning intervention to support our leaders who are operating in a truly dynamic environment facing both challenges and opportunities in the digital age. The blend of delivery, personal learning and collaboration have made this an impactful offering for our leaders with over 1,200 already completing the programme and further cohorts planned. Our ability to develop learning interventions that address real challenges faced by our leaders is at the core of Atos Corporate University and we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to EFMD for the opportunity and recognition and our partner Harvard Business Publishing for their continued collaboration,’ stated Kat Hopkins, Group Head Career Development, on behalf of Atos Corporate University

Ecosystem Development

Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) & University of South Australia (UniSA) & Australian National University & International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Aid Tropics
“Transforming small irrigation farm businesses and their irrigator corporations from underperforming to sustainable business units”

‘We are honoured to be recognised in the EFMD Excellence in Practice Awards, which showcase some of the most innovative and impactful business partnerships in the world. The award highlights the complex learning and development project UniSA Business has worked on in collaboration with partners in Australia and Africa, which has transformed irrigation farm businesses and their irrigator corporations from dysfunctional to profitable business enterprises. Now in its ninth year, the project works with 15,500 farm businesses and 42 irrigator corporations across three countries in Africa. As a result of the project, the profitability of the small farm businesses and their irrigator corporations has increased significantly, leading to an improvement in farmers’ livelihoods, food security, nutrition, education and prosperity. It’s a wonderful example of research with significant global impact, where our researchers worked together across disciplines to provide enterprising solutions that support inclusive and sustainable communities globally. It is a truly collaborative effort from a number of key partners, including the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and the Australian National University, and we are very proud of the result,’ says, Executive Dean, UniSA Business Professor Andrew Beer.

Professor Andrew Campbell, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) commented, ‘On behalf of the Australian Government, the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research brokers, invests in and manages strategic partnerships with public and private research institutions to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability, and the resilience of food systems in partner countries. We have invested in the Transforming Irrigation in Southern Africa project since 2013. This innovative partnership has brought together African and Australian researchers to help farmers and the governments of Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe to achieve their development objectives. We are especially proud that this research has helped farmers to improve water management, delivering better livelihoods for women, for the poor and for youth in irrigation communities in these nations. We are honoured that ACIAR and our partners are recognised in the EFMD Excellence in Practice Awards, which celebrate some of the most outstanding and impactful leadership, learning and development in the world. The award is important recognition for the work of ACIAR and our partners to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable agricultural development through science partnerships.’

Professor Jamie Pittock, Project Leader, Transforming Irrigation in Southern Africa, Fenner School of Environment & Society, The Australian National University noted, ‘The Australian National University exists to advance learning to transform society by addressing global challenges. We are proud of our complex Transforming Irrigation in Southern Africa research with our African and Australian partners for more equitable and sustainable development. It is an honour to collaborate with so many wonderful people and organisations to empower farmers to improve their livelihoods and food security. We believe that our agricultural research for development project has significant impact for a more equitable and sustainable world. This award is welcome recognition of the excellent work of our partners, especially in Africa, and a boost for promoting the solutions identified in our work for sustainable development.’

André F. van Rooyen PhD, Country Representative – Ethiopia, Deputy Regional Director East and Southern Africa, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, commented, ‘This award exemplifies the importance of embracing complexity in research and development, the transformative potential of multiple leverage points, and the value of functional partnerships to make it all happen. It is an honour to be part of this team, but upon it rests a great responsibility to learn from it and to scale these lessons.’

‘The EFMD’s EiP Award to ACIAR and University of South Australia (UniSA) has invigorated our inspiration and desire to consistently champion the cause for scaling-out the innovations and impacts of transformation from the project in the region,’ said Makarius Victor Mdemu (PhD), Ardhi University, Tanzania

‘Transforming the dysfunctional irrigation schemes is the responsibility of all state and non-state actors if the continent is to deliver against its commitments under the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods. All key stakeholders need to collaborate and invest in ideal interventions like TISA to ensure the success of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP),’ added Dr Tshilidzi Madzivhandila, Chief Executive Officer & Head of Mission, Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN)

‘The EFMD EiP Award is a demonstration that our effort and intense involvement in generating responses to the main challenges of smallholder irrigation, particularly in Mozambique, are in the right direction. The Award builds confidence to do more and continue the excellent partnerships to support and mentor changes in smallholder irrigation management and generate good livelihoods sustainably,’ added Delfim Júlio Vilissa, Director-General, National Irrigation Institute (INIR)

‘The 2022 EFMD Excellence in Practice Gold Award to ACIAR and UniSa has undoubtedly recognised the importance of TISA on contributing for the reduction of smallholder farmers’ food insecurity while contributing to securing their livelihoods, through promotion of innovation in irrigation, particularly in Mozambique,’ said Mário Chilundo PhD, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM), Mozambique

Congratulations and thank you from EFMD

Eric Cornuel, President of EFMD, congratulated all the EiP Award winners, ‘At EFMD we strongly believe in building partnerships and developing ecosystems to further business and management education. It is a pleasure for us to be able to highlight shining examples of learning and development partnerships in the world of practice. Thank you to all you participated by submitting your cases and my sincere congratulations to our winners.’

Jan Ginneberge, Senior Advisor at EFMD Corporate Services added, ‘It was interesting to read how organisations keep adapting to an unpredictable context, and how new common practices begin to shape. Looking forward to the sharing and debates later this year at the October Executive Development Conference. Big thanks for the valuable contributions and professionalism of applicants and jury members.’

EFMD is eager to provide visibility and support to all professionals in the L&D sector. The winners will be awarded during the next EFMD Executive Development Conference on 04-06 October 2022.

We would like to thank all of the applicants as well as the jury members for their successful cooperation and hope to receive further exciting cases next year. We are pleased to note the continuously growing quality of applications. Apart from the Gold Award winners, there were Silver Award winners and two cases with “special mention” selected from all of the entries.

Next submission deadline: 15 March 2023

For submission guidelines and expression of interest, please visit our website. If you have any questions or would like further information on the EiP awards, you can find out more in the EiP Overview Brief, or please contact Florence Gregoire.