The Association of Retailers of Ukraine (RAU) has officially announced the start of the application process for RAU Awards 2026 — the 9th All-Ukrainian professional award in the field of retail and commercial real estate. According to RBC-Ukraine, retailers, developers, and industry companies can now choose their nominations and present their projects and achievements for the current year. The award annually recognizes companies, projects, and professionals whose results shape and develop Ukrainian retail and commercial real estate, and its ceremony has become one of the key events in the industry.
21 nominations with a focus on project categories
In 2026, RAU Awards covers 21 nominations, distributed across two main areas — retail and commercial real estate. The organizers emphasize that this year there is a particular focus on project categories: the award is designed to recognize specific solutions, innovations, and projects implemented by companies over the course of the year. This approach makes it possible not only to assess overall business performance but to highlight practical initiatives that are changing the market and setting new standards in the industry. Nominations will be evaluated by the RAU Awards 2026 Expert Council, which comprises 33 market representatives and experts.
Deadlines, contacts, and application procedure
For questions regarding applications and detailed information on evaluation criteria, please contact RAU Event Program Manager Natalia Pidvyshenna: phone 050 313 74 53, email [email protected]. Detailed terms of participation, evaluation criteria, profile templates, and the application form are available on the award's official website. The organizers remind participants that, in order to take part, it is necessary to prepare a company profile and describe the projects corresponding to the chosen nomination in accordance with the approved templates.
Award ceremony — December 3 in Kyiv
The winners of RAU Awards 2026 will be announced on December 3, 2026, in Kyiv during the 9th award ceremony. The event traditionally brings together key players in the retail and commercial real estate market, award partners, and representatives of the expert community. The ceremony serves not only as an awards event but also as a platform for professional experience exchange, networking, and discussion of strategic industry trends for the coming years.
Context: the award as an indicator of market conditions
RAU Awards has existed since 2018 and over nine years has become one of the most authoritative forms of professional recognition in Ukrainian retail and commercial real estate. In a situation where the industry is adapting to new economic realities, the award performs not only a recognition function but also an analytical one: the composition of nominations and project categories makes it possible to track which areas of industry development are considered priorities. The ninth season, covering 21 nominations and involving a 33-member expert council, confirms the sustained interest of businesses in institutional formats of professional recognition and best-practice exchange.
