Fraser Valley businesses recognized for inclusive hiring practices at Inclusive Employer Excellence Awards

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Nearly 200 people attended this year’s IEEA celebrating inclusive hiring in Abbotsford. The event was the culmination of months of planning by the four organizations presenting the awards: Archway Community Services, Bethesda, Communitas, and Work B.C. The IEEA was created as a way to honour local businesses who intentionally make it part of their business plan to hire people with diverse abilities.

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“We want to celebrate businesses that are doing a great job with inclusive hiring and encourage this further,” says Caleb Wee, employment services manager with Bethesda. “We also want to show our appreciation for all they do to support the people we serve.”

According to Communitas, the awards event is an opportunity to create awareness within the business community that inclusive hiring is good for business. Statistics show that businesses who do so improve their employee retention rate by 72 per cent, increase their innovation capacity by as much as 20 per cent, and that customers prefer to give their business to companies that hire inclusively.

Twenty-six businesses were nominated by the public in several categories. The winning businesses were:

• Emergent Employer of the Year – Everclean Facilities Services at Sevenoaks Shopping Centre.

• Creative Workplace Solutions – McDonald’s – McCallum Junction

Image: Supplied by Dale Klippenstein / McDonald’s at McCallum Junction in Abbotsford won the Creative Workplace Solutions award.

• Outstanding Commitment to Inclusive Hiring (small business) – VSSL

Image: Supplied by Dale Klippenstein / VSSL won the Outstanding Commitment to Inclusive Hiring award.

• Outstanding Commitment to Inclusive Hiring (large business) – Staples Abbotsford

Image: Supplied by Dale Klippenstein / Staples Abbotsford won the Outstanding Commitment to Inclusive Hiring for large businesses.

• Community Champion for Inclusive Hiring – Fraser Valley Child Development Centre

• Inclusive Employer of the Year – Canucks Sports and Entertainment, Abbotsford Centre

Image: Supplied by Dale Klippenstein / The Inclusive Employer of the Year award went to Canucks Sports and Entertainment, Abbotsford Centre

The Inclusive Employers Excellence Awards event itself was sponsored by Vancity, Rotary at Work, Inclusion B.C., and was hosted at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Centre in Abbotsford.