Nominations

Individuals and organizations looking to recognize an individual leader, team or organization making a meaningful difference can nominate them today for an Award of Excellence. Nominations are received online and are evaluated by EHRC’s nomination review committee.

DEADLINE EXTENDED | Nominations close Nov. 14, 2025

Receipients will be announced and awarded at the 13th Annual Awards of Excellence on Feb. 19, 2026 in Toronto, ON.

Award Categories

The award categories to be presented are:

• Leader of the Year
• Emerging Leader of the Year
• Excellence in HR Innovation
• Excellence in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion*
• Excellence in Workplace Culture*

* This award is presented in two subcategories: Small and Midsized Enterprise; Large Organization

• A nominator may be anyone active within the candidate’s organization or Canada’s electricity workforce at large
• An individual nominee must be employed in Canada
• An organizational nominee must have their head office or principal place of business in Canada
• Nominations are accepted for private and public sector employers of any size
• Small to midsized enterprises are categorized as those with 1 to 499 employees
• Larger organizations are categorized as those with over 500 employees
• The nominee must be present to accept the award at EHRC’s Awards of Excellence on Feb. 19, 2026, in Toronto, ON

Leader of the Year

The recipient is an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to their organization within the Canadian electricity sector through visionary people management strategies and leadership.

Nomination Criteria

The nominee demonstrates:

• Outstanding leadership and vision in the workplace. They create standards of excellence and set an example for others to follow. They motivate and enable others through a spirit of collaboration, trust, and recognition of individual and team contributions. They inspire a shared vision by creating an ideal and unique image of what the organization can become.
• Operational success from the effective implementation of bold, visionary, and innovative people strategies that are instrumental in developing organizational excellence and improved organizational productivity.
• Innovative change and effectiveness in generating new ideas or processes. They invite challenge and encourage colleagues and staff to think boldly to implement new ways of doing business.
• Exemplary commitment to providing opportunities for staff at all levels within the organization. They create a culture that engages and energizes employees.

Emerging Leader of the Year

The recipient is an individual with less than ten years of industry experience, an innovative thinker whose accomplishments have motivated their peers, and who has demonstrated their dedication to the organization and the electricity sector.

Nomination Criteria

The nominee demonstrates:

• Exceptional initiative and commitment to the principles of their organization.
• Successful leadership and empowerment of people to achieve organizational goals.
• Creation and implantation of innovative ideas that contribute to the success of employees.

Excellence in HR Innovation

The recipient is an individual, team, or organization that has displayed a high degree of innovation and creativity in the design and implementation of their HR initiatives and can demonstrate, anticipate or derive business value from it. It can be a one-time initiative focused on one aspect of an HR plan, or an ongoing initiative that is unique or industry-leading.

Nomination Criteria

The nominee demonstrates:

• Innovative approaches to addressing HR issues such as recruiting and retention, talent management, succession planning, HR technology or other forward-thinking people strategies.
• Successful change management through the implementation of specific HR processes, programs, systems, technologies, or new ideas that are expected to positively contribute to the workforce supply needs of the organization. The program or approach must be implemented within the last three years.

Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The recipient is an individual, team, or organization that champions diversity, equity, and inclusion, is a role model for cultivating diversity strategies in their organization, and communicates the rationale for these strategies to employees.

This award category examines a range of diversity initiatives that engage and empower women, Indigenous peoples, members of visible minorities, newcomers, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ persons, and other diverse groups.

Subcategories: Small and Midsized Enterprise; Large Organization

Nomination Criteria

The nominee demonstrates:

• Leadership in championing aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion within their organization.
• Successful recruitment or retention strategies or campaigns that engage diverse and under-represented groups.
• Effective internal communications and education campaigns or programs that promote diversity in the workplace.
• Development and implementation of meaningful policies that support equal opportunities for all employees.

Excellence in Workplace Culture

The recipient is an individual, team, or organization that demonstrates a strong commitment to building and promoting a healthy, inclusive, and positive work environment for all employees. In an ever-changing work environment, a supportive culture is imperative to driving performance, values, beliefs, and behaviours.

Subcategories: Small and Midsized Enterprise; Large Organization

Nomination Criteria

The nominee demonstrates:

• Trailblazing initiatives and actions that build a strong organizational culture. They do this through employee engagement, employee recognition, people development, corporate social responsibility, or promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion,
• Innovative approaches to developing a workplace environment that goes beyond a written policy or workspace.
• Visionary leadership in establishing, communicating, and exemplifying the organization’s purpose, mission, vision and values.
• Key methods of communicating and listening that are used to support culture development throughout the organization.
• Unique approaches to assessing their organization’s culture, measuring its impact on performance, and providing and actioning feedback

For questions or more information, please contact us at [email protected].