Heyrovský Institute, as the first institution in the Czech Republic, has successfully defended the prestigious HR Award, thus confirming its excellence in employee care

"The Heyrovský Institute has achieved more than formal compliance with regulations – it has initiated deep cultural and operational shifts that continue to shape a more supportive, international, and ethically grounded research environment." With this sentence, the European Commission evaluators expressed their recognition during the defense of the prestigious international HR Excellence in Research Award (HR Award). We first received the HR Award in 2019 as the first institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, and now we have become the first Czech institution to be recertified.

The successful defense of the HR Award confirms our long-term commitment to improving working conditions for all our employees and proves that we rank among elite research institutions in this area.

What the HR Award Means

The HR Award is granted by the European Commission to research organizations that systematically improve human resource management. Award holders must regularly demonstrate compliance with established standards. The first defense takes place after five years in the form of an "Award renewal with site visit." At this stage, the award can be either withdrawn or reconfirmed. The HR Award logo, which we may continue to use, is an internationally recognized mark of quality. Globally, only 755 organizations hold this award, with 61 of them in the Czech Republic.

Benefits for Our Employees

The main goal of the HR Award is the continuous improvement of our institute's working environment. Specifically, we have focused on:

  • Creating a high-quality and supportive working environment
  • Transparency of processes and better working conditions
  • Establishing new support units – Project Office, Heyrovský Technology Transfer Centre, Heyrovský Open Science Team
  • Systematic support for professional growth and career development
  • Consistent enforcement of ethical and professional standards
  • Ensuring transparent processes for recruitment and selection of new colleagues

We are proud that, as the first institution from the Czech Academy of Sciences, we have not only obtained this prestigious award but also successfully renewed it. It is proof of our determination to be a model of excellence not only in scientific research but also in caring for our employees.