HR-ON Honored As Pioneering Innovators With International Award In China
HR-ON has been recognized with an international award in the category of Benchmark Innovators. CEO Ali E. Cevik accepted the award at a ceremony in Beijing, where he was invited to deliver a keynote address.
It marks the second year HR-ON has been honored by the prestigious global network Thinkers50, collaborating with Chinese home appliance giant Haier. The award was presented on 19 September 2025, in Beijing.
Competing against major organizations worldwide, HR-ON received the ZeroDX Award in the “Benchmark Innovators” category. The recognition highlights HR-ON’s groundbreaking approach to running a modern, forward-thinking business.
Winners of the ZeroDX Award 2025 in the Benchmark Innovators category.
A Rising Force In Innovation
The Benchmark Innovators award is reserved for companies that:
- Set new standards in progressive management through their vision, values, resilience, and persistence.
- Create practices that others in the industry aspire to follow.
For CEO Ali E. Cevik, the recognition is significant. Last year, HR-ON won in the Emergent Excellence category, and now the company has taken the next step with a Benchmark Innovators award.
“To be recognized globally two years in a row is a tremendous honor,” says Ali E. Cevik. “Being named benchmark innovators shows that we are not just keeping up with change, we’re helping to set new standards. This award is a win for our entire team and the culture of trust and self-leadership that defines HR-ON.”
Nominated By Corporate Rebels
The nomination came from Corporate Rebels, an international organization that brings together companies that are pioneers in modern, self-managing business practices.
The awards ceremony in China celebrated some of the world’s most progressive organizations. Ali E. Cevik was invited to give a keynote presentation on HR-ON’s journey and philosophy of value-based management approach.
Last year, Corporate Rebels also published a feature on HR-ON titled Revolutionizing HR Tech with a Human-Centric Approach: The Case of HR-ON.
You may also like: HR-ON Wins A Global Prize For Self-Management
FACTS
- HR-ON wins the ZeroDX Award 2025 in the category of Benchmark Innovators.
- The award honors organizations that have moved beyond traditional hierarchies, creating closer customer connections, embracing self-management, and sharing financial success with employees.
- The award is organized by the Thinkers50 Business Ecosystem Alliance and Haier, together with Gary Hamel’s MLab.
- Corporate Rebels nominated HR-ON.
- The nomination recognizes HR-ON’s application of the RenDanHeYi model, in which employees (Ren) and their innovative abilities are aligned with customer needs (Dan), creating value. The model emphasizes personal responsibility and dynamic roles within the organization (HeYi).
FAQ: Why Did HR-ON Win An International Award For Groundbreaking Innovation?
What award has HR-ON won?
HR-ON has won a ZeroDX Award 2025. The award was presented at a ceremony in China in September, celebrating the world’s most progressive organizations. It was organized by Chinese manufacturer Haier, Gary Hamel & Michele Zanini’s MLab, and the Thinkers50 Business Ecosystem Alliance.
Why was HR-ON nominated for an award?
HR-ON was nominated for the ZeroDX Award 2025 for its groundbreaking approach to business management, including its focus on value-based management.
How is HR-ON run as a company without a traditional hierarchy?
At HR-ON, we operate with value-based management, which essentially means we are a company without traditional hierarchies, where decisions are made within individual teams. We follow the principles outlined in our Employee Manifesto, which you can read here.
Which other awards has HR-ON received?
HR-ON also won a ZeroDX Award in 2024, but in a different category than it received in 2025. In addition, the company has earned seven Børsen Gazelle awards, which are given to businesses that achieve positive growth every year over four consecutive financial years.
Furthermore, HR-ON’s CEO, Ali E. Cevik, received the EY Inspiration Award for, among other things, breaking patterns and actively promoting diversity.
