Honoring exceptional maturity, leadership, and lasting impact in performance management
The Performance Excellence Awards Gala honors organizations that demonstrate exceptional mastery across the full spectrum of strategy and performance capabilities. The awards recognize outstanding achievements in the following:
Each capability features two distinctions celebrating excellence.
This distinction is awarded to organizations that have achieved a minimum Maturity Level 4 in one or more capabilities through the formal assessment and recognition process conducted within the twelve months preceding the event. These organizations operate advanced, integrated performance management systems, tools and processes that consistently deliver results.
This distinction recognizes organizations that have achieved Maturity Level 5 in one or more assessed capabilities within the twelve months preceding the event. It represents the highest level of recognition in strategy and performance excellence, awarded to entities whose performance management systems and practices set the global benchmark for integration, consistency, and results-driven execution. These organizations are considered Best in Class.
How to Get Nominated to the Performance Excellence Awards Gala
When Excellence Takes the Stage
The stories of the organisations celebrated during the Performance Excellence Forum and Awards Gala
The first company in the world to achieve Level V — Red Sea Global sets a new benchmark for integrated performance excellence in the tourism and development sector.
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Saudi Arabia's central authority for zakat, tax and customs achieved the highest possible maturity level across all five capabilities — a landmark result for public sector performance management.
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The Global Performance Audit (GPA) Unit, the division at The KPI Institute (TKI) that specializes in strategy and performance management audits, has propelled Saudi Arabia’s Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority...
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The Performance Excellence Forum and Awards Gala is a Global Performance Audit Unit event, that brings together government leaders, performance management professionals, and assessment practitioners from across the GCC. It combines a forum focused on strategy, performance management, and organizational excellence with a formal awards ceremony recognizing organizations that have achieved validated performance management maturity through the PerforAssess™ Recognized assessment process.
Learn moreOrganisations that have completed the PerforAssess™ Recognized assessment and achieved a qualifying maturity level are eligible for nomination. Awards are presented across multiple categories corresponding to capabilities and maturity distinctions. Eligibility is determined exclusively based on validated assessment outcomes achieved within the twelve months preceding the event. Self-nomination is not permitted.
Learn moreOrganizations must achieve at least Maturity Level IV through a PerforAssess™ Recognized assessment to qualify for the Performance Excellence Awards. Organizations achieving Maturity Level IV are recognized as State of the Art: Awarded for Excellence, while organizations achieving Maturity Level V are recognized as Best in Class: Awarded for the Hallmark of Excellence.
Award categories correspond to the five capabilities: Strategic Planning, Performance Measurement, Performance Improvement, Employee Performance Management, and Performance Culture, as well as Integrated Performance and Operational Performance distinctions.
Framework-Based Awards recognize organizations achieving State of the Art (Maturity Level IV) and Best in Class (Maturity Level V) across these areas. Additional categories include Future-Driven Excellence Awards and Network Awards, recognizing organizational transformation, leadership impact, innovation, sustainability, digital advancement, and contributions to the GPAU Ambassadors Network.
The Awards Gala is directly linked to the PerforAssess™ Recognized assessment process, as it recognizes organizations based on validated results from GPAU’s Integrated Performance Maturity Model. Organizations achieving Maturity Level IV are recognized as State of the Art: Awarded for Excellence, while those reaching Maturity Level V are recognized as Best in Class: Awarded for the Hallmark of Excellence, with eligibility for the Performance Excellence Hall of Fame. Recognition at the Gala is therefore based on demonstrated maturity and verified assessment outcomes.
Learn moreYes. The Performance Excellence Forum is open to senior leaders and executives across sectors, including those responsible for strategy, performance, people, and organizational effectiveness. It is designed for decision-makers seeking to strengthen alignment, governance, and execution within their organizations. Attendance at the Forum does not require prior assessment engagement. Attendance at the Awards Gala is by invitation.
The Performance Excellence Forum and Awards Gala is held periodically in the GCC region, typically every 1.5 to 2 years. The host location varies by edition and is confirmed through Global Performance Audit Unit's official channels.
The Performance Excellence Hall of Fame recognizes organizations that have achieved the highest maturity distinction recognized by the Global Performance Audit Unit and have been formally honored at the Performance Excellence Awards Gala. Organizations inducted into the Hall of Fame are featured on GPAU’s dedicated Hall of Fame page.
