Canada Awards for Excellence

Patron for the Awards

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D., the Governor General of Canada, is the Vice-Regal Patron of the Awards. About the Awards Program The Canada Awards for Excellence (CAE) is an annual awards program to recognize business excellence in quality, customer service, and workplace health. Since 1984, the Awards have been presented to private and public sector organizations of all sizes that are world class. This prestigious award is tangible evidence of an organization’s level of excellence.

This award is based on the National Quality Institute’s Framework for Organizational Excellence, which is used by numerous organizations as a management model for continuous improvement and the achievement of significant operational results.    

Awards Categories

• Quality Award  (Business and Public Sector)
• Healthy Workplace^®
• Customer Service for Small Business
• Quality and Healthy Workplace^® (Integrated)
• Order of Excellence

Selection Process

Organizations do not compete against each other; instead, they are judged directly against the criteria for excellence that constitute the NQI Framework. As a result, all organizations, irrespective of size or sector, compete on an equal footing.

Applications for the award are evaluated by a Pre-Selection Committee composed of professionals with a background in quality management principles and practices, and workplace health issues. Organizations that pass an initial screening are visited by teams of examiners to verify the information in the application. The Selection Jury Panel makes a final determination of which organizations will receive recognition by being awarded the Gold Trophy, or Silver and/or Bronze Certificates. The Selection Jury Panel members are respected professionals with experience in the implementation of quality and healthy workplace programs.

CAE recipients enjoy the unique opportunity to display organizational success to the world, to recognize the efforts of employees, and to demonstrate to customers and suppliers that they are world-class.

The NQI Progressive Excellence Program (NQI PEP^®)

If an organization is in the NQI PEP^® program, there is a direct link to the CAE Awards at Levels 3 and 4. To receive the Gold Trophy, organizations must have fully met the NQI excellence criteria for Level 4, with documented overall achievements and results. To receive Silver and Bronze recognition, organizations must be at the equivalent of Level 3 in NQI PEP^®.

If you have achieved either of these levels within 24 months of the Awards ceremony, you maybe eligible to apply for CAE without a site visit.

CAE Verifiers

NQI members are eligible to volunteer for verification teams for both NQI PEP^® and CAE. You must meet specific criteria to be on a team. For an application visit http://www.nqi.ca/caeawards/verifier.aspx