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What is the Canada's 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures Program?

Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures™ is founded and presented by Waterstone Human Capital, one of Canada's fastest-growing retained executive search firms specializing in recruiting for fit and in cultural assessment.

This national program, now in its eighth year, annually recognizes best-in-class Canadian organizations for having a culture that has helped them enhance performance and sustain a competitive advantage.

Canada's 10 is Waterstone's R&D Lab: through our annual Canadian Corporate Culture Study, the hundreds of program submissions, the nominee interviews, as well as through our Corporate Culture Summit, our regional events and our national gala, Waterstone is at the forefront of best practices in culture and fit - practices we share with our clients, to help them recruit for fit, conduct cultural assessments and build great organizations.

 

Scope and Prestige:

The program continues to grow and expand, both in reach and influence:
• In 2011, over 400 organizations were nominated and there was a 20 per cent increase over 2010 in terms of the number of organizations proceeding with a formal submission to the program (nominees and finalists represent a cross-section of leading Canadian organizations);
• The 2011 Awards Gala, held at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto ballroom, reached capacity, with 500 senior representatives from the winning organizations, as well as from our platinum and regional winning organizations, in attendance;
• In 2011, regional qualification (West, Central and Quebec & Atlantic Canada) was added to the program resulting in 30 regional finalists, six special category regional finalists, three new reception events, as well asadditional media coverage by The National Post;
• Our Board of Governors is a prestigious group of well-connected executives, from the private and public sector, most of whom represent an organization that is a past winner of the program.

What is the Program Timeline?

February 6, 2012: Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures of 2011 Awards Gala and 4th Annual Corporate Culture Summit

February 6, 2012: The 2012 Canadian Corporate Culture Study and Nomination Process

Waterstone Human Capital’s Canadian Corporate Culture Study serves as the basis for the Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures™ award season, which begins in the spring.The survey asks senior executives from across Canada a variety of questions about corporate culture. At the end of the survey, respondents are also asked to nominate organizations they most admire for having a corporate culture that has impacted performance.

Nominations may also be made directly by visiting our NOMINATIONS PAGE.

April 10, 2012: Deadline for Completed Surveys and Nominations to the 2012 Program; Nominated Organizations Notified

Once nominated, organizations are approached by Waterstone Human Capital and asked to make a detailed submission to the program, based on five criteria: vision and leadership; cultural alignment, measurement and sustainability; rewards, recognition and innovative business achievement; corporate performance; and,corporate social responsibility.

May 31, 2012: Deadline for the 2012 submissions.

June 1 – August 31, 2012: Interview Process

Submitting organizations will be interviewed by a representative from Waterstone Human Capital as well as other representatives from the program’s National Program Partner. Interviews are to take place with a senior member of the executive team, as well as the organization’s lead HR person. The objective of the interview is a 30-minute review of the organization’s submission.

October 2012: Regional events for nominated organizations

November 2011: Announcement of Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures of 2012: Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures Board of Governors will evaluate the 2012 submissions and choose Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures of 2012.

November 12, 2012: Winning organizations notified.

November 15, 2012: Official media Announcement.

February 2013: Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures of 2012 Awards Gala and the 5th Annual Canadian Corporate Culture Summit to be held in Toronto

Who is Eligible to Participate in Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures ™ of 2012?

Canadian or Canadian subsidiary organizations, either privately-held or publicly-traded, are eligible. These organizations must have a head office, or a subsidiary office, in Canada.

Canadian public-sector organizations are also eligible (e.g. not-for-profit organizations, government agencies and crown corporations).

The 2012 program is not open to the 2011 and 2010 winners of the program.

What are the Program Benefits?

Joining the prestigious ranks of Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures™ is a significant accomplishment. Since 2005, this popular program has recognized Canadian organizations for having a culture that has helped them enhance their performance and sustain a competitive advantage. Winning organizations have included Loblaw Companies Ltd., Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, RBC, Tim Hortons, The Hospital for Sick Children and WestJet, to name a few.

As a winner of the Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures ™ of 2012 program, your organization will benefit from the following:

  • Exclusivity for Canada’s 10: a 3-year exclusive use of the Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures ™ designation, license and trademark;
  • Board of Governors Role: the opportunity for a senior member of your executive team to join our Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures ™ Board of Governors;
  • Media Coverage: significant media coverage of the Canada’s 10 announcement, as well as coverage of the awards gala in The National Post;
  • Networking and Professional Development: the opportunity to interact and share best practices with your senior colleagues from the other winning organizations through special events, speaking engagements and other exclusive gatherings;
  • Attracting Top Talent: a unique and exclusive opportunity to incorporate the award designation into your recruitment efforts;
  • Celebration: the opportunity to celebrate your organization and your top talent at the Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures ™of 2012 Awards Gala in February 2013;
  • Recognition: as one of the 2012 winners, your organization will be recognized amongst other  top business leaders, the media and your peers at the February 2013 awards gala.

How Do Winning Organizations Take Advantage of This Program?

This award is not only a seal of approval by Canada’s leadership community, it’s also a mark of excellence. Past winners of our prestigious program have used the Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures ™ trademark in a variety of innovative ways, to show that their organization is a great place to work and one where strong corporate culture is tied to peak performance.

Being a winner of the program is an unparalleled opportunity to enhance your employee value proposition.

Here are some of the ways past winners of the Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures ™ program have used the trademark:

  • Branded signage for storefront operations, or, corporate headquarters;
  • Branded flags in front of corporate headquarters (as have past award recipients, Boston Pizza International);
  • Branded promotional and marketing materials (e.g. business cards, stationary, etc.); 
  • Trademark added to company’s newsletter and website;
  • Trademark added to advertising materials;
  • Trademark added to external hiring or recruitment materials, to attract top talent;
  • Branded merchandise or equipment.