(Ecofin Agency) - Top Employer Institute, the independent Netherlands-based organism which awards excellence certifications to firms worldwide based on the working conditions of employees and human resources management policies, just released its list of top employers in Africa for 2016. This list certifies eight international organisations as top employers in Africa for 2016. 

These include pharmaceutical research company Abbvie (subsidiary of American laboratories Abbott), US firm dealing in latest medical technology Becton Dickinson, transport and logistics group DHL, financial audit firm EY (formerly known as Ernst & Young), French telecom operator Orange, British security service G4S, British insurer Old Mutual and agro-food Dutch giant Unilever.

Cited by the newspaper Le Monde, Top Employer Institute’s Country Manager France and auditor of French-speaking world, BenoîtMontet, reminded that in 2011 when the program was launched in Africa, only two companies were certified and this he believes, proves that “companies on the continent are increasingly investing in their human resources policies”.

For a company to be awarded the “Top Employer for Africa” certification, it must first apply for it. Following application, the Top Employer Institute through a survey later validated by audit thoroughly analyzes the working conditions (flexible hours, teleworking), the training (in-service, digital courses, group mentoring), career management (coaching, international mobility), diversity (age, sex, profile), compensation and benefits (pension, health insurance) and welfare program (stress management, nutritional programs, sport equipment) within the company.  

Companies that apply for the certification aim to retain excellent employees or attract highly-qualified ones.

“To be known as a benchmark employer makes us more attractive and improves our ability to retain good employees,”ClotildeBoury, Orange’s HR director for Africa and Middle East told Le Monde.

When asked about the reason for the absence of African firms from the list, BenoîtMontetsaid“it should not take long before many of them get certified”.

The Top Employer Africa certification is awarded to companies which are certified in at least four African countries, thus excluding companies that are active only in restricted snumber of markets.