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2023 Recipients of Nonprofit Employer of Choice (NEOC) Awards Announced

Articles
January 18, 2024

Posted on: January 18th, 2024. By: Canadian Nonprofit Employer of Choice Award, Original Article.

Hilborn Charity eNews together with partner CCEOC Inc. congratulate the recipients of the ninth annual Canadian Nonprofit Employer of Choice™ (NEOC) Award.

This year, 22 organizations fulfilled program requirements to be named a Canadian Nonprofit Employer of Choice. Four of them achieved a five-year or more winner status.

The 2023 award recipients are:

Alberta Retired Teachers Association (AB) 5+ year Winner
Blue Door Support Services (ON)
Chilliwack Society for Community Living (BC) 5+ year Winner
Canadian Mental Health Association Peel Dufferin (ON)
Canadian Mental Health Association Toronto (ON)
Canadian Mental Health Association Halton (ON)
Community Care Durham (ON)
Connective Support Society (BC)
Connective Support Society Kamloops (BC)
Ducks Unlimited Canada (MB)
Edmonton Humane Society (AB)
Fondation Mira Inc. (PQ)
Harvest Manitoba (MB)
Lakeland Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Society (AB)
LOFT Community Services (ON)
Louis Brier Home and Hospital (BC)
Reach Out Centre for Kids (ON)
Richmond Hospital Foundation (BC) 5+ year Winner
UNICEF Canada (ON) 5+ year Winner
Unison for Generations 50+ (AB)
University Hospitals Kingston Foundation (ON)
Ve’ahavta (ON)

All winners successfully completed the NEOC Organizational Profile and Employee Commitment Survey achieving a minimum overall score of 75% to qualify for the award.

In a quest to create “decent workplaces” thought leaders are debunking the myth that employees in the nonprofit sector are willing (and should be expected) to work in exchange for the opportunity to “do good.” Today, talented people can find a socially meaningful career outside a traditional nonprofit organization, which intensifies the competition for qualified staff.

Nonprofit employers of choice generally do a better job of attracting and retaining talent due to: superior HR management; strong organizational cultures; clarity around job expectations; and relevant training and career development.

The Nonprofit Employer of Choice™ (NEOC) Award is a tool that measures a nonprofit’s Leadership attributes, HR practices and employee opinions. The NEOC program provides a framework to evaluate an organization’s talent management issues and start constructing a corrective plan of action. This program further enables the board and senior staff to probe and analyze the issues and start the transformational change needed to achieve the impact the donor rightly expects.

“We’re very excited to announce the winners of the 2023 Nonprofit Employer of Choice™ award.” said Jeff Doran, president of CCEOC Inc. “Post-pandemic, things are not status quo. These organizations continue to place their employees as their number one priority. They took the time to assess their operations and recognize their employees for all their hard work and sacrifice. My hat is off to all of these amazing nonprofits!” Doran says, “All winning nonprofits showed strong leadership qualities,
particularly in the areas of building trust & respect, communication, and employee engagement. These organizations can now promote their employer of choice brand and put together sustainable action plans to help make their organizations even better places to work.”

Jim Hilborn, Founder of The Hilborn Group adds, “For over thirty years Hilborn has been providing the resources and tools that nonprofits and charities need to do their jobs better. It is our hope that by recognizing excellence in talent management in the sector, the NEOC program will further motivate nonprofits to advance their missions by cultivating an inspiring and fulfilling work environment. We look forward to a day when every nonprofit in Canada will take the required steps to become an Employer of
Choice.”

Other supporting partners of the NEOC Award program include CanadaHelps and the Sustainability Network.