Ambuja Foundation has been recognised among the Top 25 of India’s Best NGOs to Work For 2026 by Great Place To Work India, marking the fourth consecutive year the Foundation has featured on the list, following recognition in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

The recognition reflects the trust, collaboration and shared sense of purpose that connect colleagues across the organisation. It is particularly significant as Ambuja Foundation continues to expand its work across rural India, with 1,975 staff members across its operations, alongside 500 volunteers. Sustaining a connected, supportive workplace culture as an organisation grows in size and geographical reach takes a collective effort, making this continued recognition all the more meaningful.

Across states, districts and villages, Ambuja Foundation’s teams bring together their skills and experience to strengthen rural communities and create opportunities for lasting change. The recognition celebrates not only the culture the organisation has built, but also the commitment of the people who bring its mission to life every day.

Building a culture of trust and shared purpose

Working across diverse rural contexts requires more than technical expertise. It calls for people who understand local realities, can build relationships with communities and partners, and are willing to work through complex challenges to find practical solutions.

At Ambuja Foundation, this work is guided by a shared purpose: enabling rural communities to build more prosperous futures. That purpose connects colleagues who come with expertise in the field across different programmes and locations, from water security and sustainable agriculture to livelihoods, skill development, health and education.

As the organisation grows, maintaining this sense of connection across teams and locations becomes increasingly important. A strong organisational culture creates the conditions for people to take initiative, learn from experience, collaborate across teams and remain connected to the larger mission, even when working in very different contexts.

Recognition shaped by employee experience

Great Place To Work India’s India’s Best NGOs to Work For assessment considers both employee feedback and organisational culture. Its methodology combines the Trust Index employee survey, which accounts for 75% of the assessment, with a Culture Audit examining leadership, organisational values and the practices that shape the workplace experience, which accounts for the remaining 25%.

The recognition is therefore not simply a measure of what an organisation says about its culture. Employee feedback is central to the assessment, alongside the policies and practices that influence how people experience the workplace.

For Ambuja Foundation, featuring on the list for four consecutive years reflects an ongoing effort to create an environment in which people feel supported, respected and able to contribute to their fullest potential.

Investing in the people behind the work

As Ambuja Foundation has expanded its geographical reach and programme portfolio, maintaining a connected and supportive workplace across locations has remained an important priority. With nearly 2,000 staff members working across its operations, this means ensuring that colleagues in different programmes and geographies feel supported, have opportunities to develop their skills and can see how their contributions connect to the Foundation’s wider mission.

An important part of this approach is the network of regional HR Single Points of Contact (SPOCs), which decentralises HR support across the Foundation. By bringing HR support closer to teams in the field, regional SPOCs help make it more accessible and responsive to the needs of employees in different locations. This regional presence also helps strengthen communication between field teams and the wider organisation, ensuring that people-related needs receive attention within their local context.

The Foundation continues to strengthen its human resource practices, with a focus on employee well-being, inclusion, learning and development. Leadership visits and field interactions provide further opportunities to stay connected with colleagues across locations and understand the realities of their work.

Learning and development are also central to this effort. During 2024–25, every employee participated in at least one training initiative, covering technical skills, soft skills and project management through a mix of learning formats.

Alongside these efforts, the Foundation has introduced measures such as a Tobacco-Free Workplace policy across its locations and strengthened its health and gender policies.

These initiatives reflect the understanding that an organisation’s culture is built through everyday experiences and practices – through how people are supported, how teams work together and whether colleagues have opportunities to learn and grow.

The people who make the mission possible

Behind every programme and every community-level outcome are people who bring commitment, expertise and persistence to their work. Their contributions take different forms, from working directly with farmers, women and young people to providing the technical, operational and organisational support that enables programmes to function effectively.

The recognition is an opportunity to acknowledge all of them, as well as the partners who work alongside the Foundation in pursuit of shared development goals.

Ambuja Foundation thanks its employees, partners and wider community for being part of this journey. As the organisation continues to grow, it remains committed to nurturing a workplace where people can take initiative, work collaboratively and find purpose in contributing to lasting change in rural India.