CERN was granted the “Excellence in HR Award” in December 2018

In 2018, CERN subscribes to the European ‘HR Strategy for Researchers’ (HRS4R) and its associated principles, the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (Charter and Code (EN)). These principles are best practice guidelines, designed to promote equal rights and obligations for individual researchers through Europe as well as those of funders and/or employers of researchers.

The implementation of the Charter & Code principles by research institutions render them more attractive to researchers looking for a new employer or for a host for their research project.

Those principles are organized in four clusters:

• ethical and professional aspects
• recruitment and selection
• working conditions and social security
• training and development

The HRS4R process consists of three distinct phases: Initial phase, Implementation phase and Renewal phase(s).

In 2023, CERN carried out an Interim Assessment which received a favorable opinion by the European Commission. 
As part of the application for the renewal process of the label, an on-site visit by European Commission experts will take place in 2026.