Greater Purpose Awards

We proudly recognize purpose-driven excellence  by honoring  innovation, dedication & positive change.


Help us nominate and celebrate the best of the best!

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Award Categories

Celebrating businesses leading with purpose.
New categories coming soon.


AWARD CATEGORIES

We recognize excellence across 8 categories—and we're growing.

  • Most Innovative Impact Partnership

    Eligibility: Open to partnerships involving businesses and/or charities with operations in Canada. Charities can only apply for awards under this category.


    Celebrates cross-sector collaborations that demonstrate bold, purpose-driven innovation with lasting impact. Judges will look for multi-stakeholder collaboration and advocacy, creative approaches to advancing social or environmental goals, measurable and enduring results, and scalability or replicability of the partnership model.



  • Outstanding Social Purpose Company

    Eligibility: Open to businesses operating in Canada, categorized by revenue size:

    • Small: Up to $10M annual revenue
    • Medium: $10M–$100M annual revenue
    • Large: $100M+ annual revenue

    Celebrates companies that fully integrate social purpose into governance, operations, and stakeholder relationships. Judges will look for purpose embedded in governance and decision-making, purpose integrated across operations and culture, measurable social or environmental impact, authentic stakeholder engagement, and leadership in the purpose economy.


  • Social Purpose CEO of the Year Award

    Eligibility: Open to CEOs of businesses operating in Canada, categorized by company revenue size:

    • Small: Up to $10M annual revenue
    • Medium: $10M–$100M annual revenue
    • Large: $100M+ annual revenue

    Recognizes CEOs who champion social purpose from the highest level of leadership, demonstrating that purpose and profit are mutually reinforcing. Judges will look for measurable organizational impact driven by CEO leadership, purpose integration into strategic decision-making and governance, cultural transformation that embeds purpose across the organization, stakeholder engagement that advances both business and social outcomes, and evidence of industry leadership or influence in advancing purpose-led business practices.


  • Purpose Leadership Award

    Eligibility: Open to individuals in leadership roles within Canadian businesses, categorized by company revenue size:


    Recognizes an individual who demonstrates exceptional leadership in embedding social purpose within their corporation. Judges will look for demonstrated impact in advancing purpose within their organization, innovation in approach to purpose-led work, leadership that influences beyond their immediate role, and authentic commitment to using business as a force for good.


  • Emerging Social Purpose Leader (Under 40)

    Eligibility: Open to individuals under 40 in leadership roles within Canadian businesses or charities


    Recognizes rising leaders who are shaping the future of purpose-led business and social impact. Judges will look for demonstrated impact despite early-career stage, innovative approaches to purpose integration or social challenges, leadership potential and trajectory, influence within and beyond their organization, and commitment to advancing the purpose economy over the long term.


  • Purpose Reporting Award

    Eligibility: Open to businesses operating in Canada (any size, any industry)


    Recognizes excellence in measuring, reporting, and communicating social and environmental impact with transparency and rigor. Judges will look for comprehensive and credible impact measurement frameworks, clear and accessible reporting that meets stakeholder needs, transparency about challenges and areas for improvement alongside successes, innovation in reporting approaches or use of data to drive decision-making, and alignment with recognized standards or frameworks (e.g., GRI, B Impact Assessment, SASB).


  • Purpose Storytelling Award

    Eligibility: Open to businesses and charities operating in Canada

    Recognizes organizations that authentically and compellingly communicate their purpose and impact, inspiring stakeholders and advancing the broader movement. Judges will look for authentic storytelling that reflects genuine commitment (not greenwashing), creative and engaging approaches that resonate with diverse audiences, demonstrated impact of storytelling on stakeholder engagement or behaviour, strategic use of narrative to advance both organizational and societal goals, and contribution to shifting public understanding of purpose-led business.


  • Social Purpose Collaboration Award

    Eligibility: Open to businesses operating in Canada (any size, any industry)


    Recognizes organizations that foster collaborative cultures and approaches to achieving social impact, whether through internal cross-functional teamwork, ecosystem-building, or collective action initiatives. Judges will look for evidence of collaboration driving greater impact than individual action could achieve, innovative collaboration structures or approaches, meaningful engagement of diverse stakeholders or perspectives, measurable outcomes resulting from collaborative efforts, and scalability or replicability of the collaboration model.


More categories coming soon

Award Categories

Outstanding Social Purpose Professional

Recognizes an individual who demonstrates exceptional leadership in embedding social purpose within their corporation.


Open to leaders in Canadian businesses. 

Judging Criteria

All applications are evaluated by an independent panel of purpose-led business experts based on:

Impact

Demonstrated, measurable outcomes

Innovation

Creative approaches to purpose integration

Authenticity

Genuine commitment beyond marketing

Leadership

Influencing change within and beyond the organization

Integration

Depth of purpose embedding in operations/culture

Apply For 2026 Awards

Applications Opening Soon.

Recognition Levels

 Each category recognizes a Winner and up to 4 Finalists

who have made significant contributions to advancing social purpose

within their organizations and networks.


Applications are now closed.

Award Criteria

Each submission is evaluated using the following criteria:


Leadership & Purpose Integration

01

Clear evidence of purpose-driven leadership and strategy

02

Innovation & Creativity

Demonstration of unique and effective solutions to social or environmental challenges

03

Stakeholder Engagement

Inclusion and collaboration with diverse stakeholders

04

Measurable Impact

Tangible results backed by data and performance metrics.

Scalability & Sustainability

05

Long-term viability and potential for growth or replication

Transparency & Accountability

06

 Ethical practices and open reporting