Cielo named a Leader in Everest Group’s RPO Global PEAK Matrix® for 14th consecutive year

MILWAUKEE, WI – Cielo, the world’s leading Talent Acquisition Partner, has once again been recognized as a Leader in Everest Group's Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2026. This milestone marks the company's 14th consecutive year in the Global Leader category, solidifying its position in the top quadrant of RPO providers worldwide.

"Cielo continues to strengthen its leadership in the global RPO market through its extensive multi-country delivery capabilities, deep expertise across manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, healthcare, and hi-tech industries, and its flexible modular RPO offerings," said Sailesh Hota, Vice President, Everest Group. “Its continued investments in AI-enabled recruitment, Cielo TalentCloud, talent acquisition technology advisory, employer branding services, and advanced analytics have helped position it as a Leader in Everest Group's Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2026 – Global."

The ranking closely follows a landmark year of partnerships for Cielo. As the organization marked its 20th anniversary, continuing its legacy of helping transform talent acquisition and elevate hiring experiences for the world’s most important companies.

"Achieving Global Leader status for 14 years in a row isn't just an accolade — it reflects how we work alongside our clients to turn talent complexity into confident action," said Marissa Geist, CEO of Cielo. "In an unpredictable market, our focus remains on delivering tech-forward talent strategies that elevate the human experience. By combining consultative expertise with ethical AI governance, we ensure organizations have the clarity and agility to find and keep the extraordinary people who move their businesses forward."

Everest Group evaluates providers based on market impact, vision, and operational capability. According to the 2026 assessment, Cielo’s sustained leadership is driven by:

• Validated technological impact: Continued development and deployment of its proprietary Cielo TalentCloud platform — recognized for continuous investment and innovation, including the launch of new agentic use-cases that drive AI-enabled recruiting from talent planning to candidate engagement.

• Global strength & regional agility: Proven market-leading execution across North America and EMEA, alongside expanding infrastructure in APAC — including its recent South Korea expansion — to support cross-border hiring demands.

• Ethical AI & compliance leadership: Setting the industry benchmark as the first RPO provider to achieve ISO 42001 certification for responsible, transparent AI management.

• Flexible engagement models: Meeting the growing buyer demand for scalability through its tailored TA Optimizers™ modular RPO and specialized Consulting practices. Cielo’s flexibility and cost-effectiveness stand out as clear strengths across the entire talent acquisition lifecycle, from strategy and planning to sourcing and screening.

Ultimately, Everest Group’s recognition underscores a broader market truth: while successful talent strategies require advanced technology and data capabilities, true competitive advantage is still driven by human partnership. Cielo’s consultative model proves that employers don't have to choose between massive technological scale and genuine human partnership.