Vodacom Group has once again been certified and recognised as Africa’s number one employer by the Top Employers Institute, marking its third consecutive win and reinforcing the company’s commitment to delivering an exceptional employee experience.
This prestigious certification and first-place ranking have been awarded to Vodacom Group, alongside separate certifications for Vodacom Mozambique, Vodacom South Africa, Vodacom Tanzania, and Safaricom in Ethiopia and Kenya.
Vodacom Group Chief Executive, Shameel Joosub, said, “Being certificated as Africa’s Top Employer for a third consecutive year marks an important milestone in our Vision 2030 journey. Not only is this testament to our consistency in leading with purpose, but it also shows that our people-centric approach and focus on talent development and workplace culture are impactful.”
The Top Employer certification is a critical benchmark for assessing human resources practices and evaluating how effectively companies align their HR frameworks, culture, and employee experience with international standards of excellence.
The certification spans 20 HR domains, including people strategy, talent acquisition, learning and development, leadership development, performance management, employee well-being, and diversity and inclusion.
“We are incredibly proud to maintain our position as Africa’s Top Employer for the third consecutive year. This achievement demonstrates that creating an exceptional employee experience is a sustained commitment to our people.
“We believe that the well-being and empowerment of our employees contributes directly to our ability to fulfil our purpose of connecting for a better future,” stated Matimba Mbungela, Chief Human Resources Officer at Vodacom Group.
Vodacom Group achieved an exceptional overall Top Employer score of 99.56%, with Vodacom Mozambique recording the highest Group score at 99.96%, Vodacom South Africa achieving 99.88%, and Vodacom Tanzania achieving 99.76%, maintaining its standing among the highest-rated employers globally.
Safaricom Ethiopia and Safaricom Kenya each secured first-place rankings in their respective countries. These results reaffirm Vodacom Group’s consistent delivery of world-class HR practices.
This year, the Top Employers Institute expanded its evaluation criteria to reflect evolving global priorities in people management and organisational ethics, with new questions focusing on three critical themes: empowering workforce innovation and creativity, evaluating the human impact of AI in organisational processes, and embedding ethics and integrity across HR and technology integration.
A major highlight of this year’s certification is the recognition of two Vodacom South Africa best practices for global benchmarking.
Regarding the impact evaluation of human-AI collaboration, Vodacom proactively and continuously evaluates AI implementations to ensure that human-AI collaboration initiatives balance organisational needs with their impact on employees.
In terms of innovation and creativity, Vodacom fosters a culture of experimentation and risk-taking by empowering employees to share ideas without fear through programmes such as hackathons.
“The Top Employers Institute’s increasing focus on fostering innovation, ethical leadership, and prioritising the human impact of technology reflects where the world of work is heading.
“We’re proud that Vodacom Group continues to set the standard in these areas by championing forward-thinking, employee-centric approaches and being recognised globally for these best practices,” added Mbungela.
Vodacom Group’s success is underpinned by continued investment in digital HR enablement, digital learning, future-fit skills, leadership capability, and holistic wellbeing.
The organisation’s Employee Value Proposition, built on the principles of compassion, acceptance, respect and empathy, includes enhanced wellness initiatives that support all stages of life, as well as a comprehensive family responsibility leave policy.
The company’s commitment to talent development extends beyond its workforce to the broader African tech ecosystem.
Through initiatives like the Vodacom Digital Skills Hub, CodeLikeAGirl, Discover Graduate, and Spirit of Vodacom, the company continues to drive empowerment and create opportunities across the continent, preparing the next generation for careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
“As we look ahead, Vodacom Group remains dedicated to creating a workplace that inspires excellence, supports growth, and connects every employee to our shared purpose.
“Our third consecutive year as Africa’s Top Employer is testament to our people-first approach and our commitment to fostering innovation and ethical technology adoption that puts people at the centre of the organisation,” said Mbungela.
