TRIEC calls for 5th annual Immigrant Success Awards entries

The Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) is pleased to announce the call for entries for the 5th annual Immigrant Success (IS) Awards, sponsored by RBC. Each year TRIEC presents the IS Awards to recognize innovation and leadership in integrating skilled immigrants into the Greater Toronto Region labour market.

Employers and individuals are invited to apply or submit a nomination by Wednesday, December 1, 2010 at www.isawards.ca.

There are four IS Awards:

1. RBC Immigrant Advantage Award
This award will recognize an organization that demonstrates the business impact of leveraging the skills of immigrants, yielding tangible results for both the business and immigrants.

2. CBC Toronto Vision Award for Immigrant Inclusion
This award will recognize a unique initiative that breaks down employment barriers for skilled immigrants and has the potential to create lasting change. This initiative will have broader impact because of partnerships.

3. Toronto Star Award for Excellence in Workplace Integration
This award will recognize a practice that has been fully implemented and established in an organization with positive results that are transforming the organization.  

4. Canadian HR Reporter Individual Achievement Award
This award will recognize an individual who has demonstrated leadership and innovation in HR practice in integrating skilled immigrants in the workplace.

“IS Award winners have adapted to Toronto’s diversifying workforce and are leaders in their industry – and we believe these two traits are more than a coincidence,” says Elizabeth McIsaac, Executive Director of TRIEC. “Of the 70,000 small, medium and large businesses in Toronto, we know there are other innovative employers and individuals, and we want to celebrate their success.”

A panel of senior human resource professionals, business executives and industry stakeholders will judge the IS Award submissions. Winners will be recognized in the media and by their peers as leaders in an area of increasing importance to the Canadian economy. RBC will host a reception to honour the winners in March 2011.

“RBC's proud support of the IS Awards since its inception reflects our strong belief that diversity is a competitive advantage. The more employers tap the full range of capabilities of our workforce – to innovate and adapt, develop new markets and foster new relationships - the more competitive Canada will be in the global economy and the more prosperous we will be at home,” says Zabeen Hirji, Chief Human Resources Officer at RBC.   

Since the awards launched four years ago, over 20 employers and individuals have been recognized. Previous winners include CH2M HILL Canada Limited, Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP, George Brown College, I3 International, Nytric Limited, Pitney Bowes, Samtack, St. Micheal’s Hospital, Steam Whistle Brewing and Xerox Research Centre of Canada, as well as individuals from CIBC, Ernst & Young, KPMG, Procter & Gamble and TD Bank Financial Group.  

Online applications can be completed in minutes. For full details, online entry forms and profiles of previous winners, visit www.isawards.ca.

The IS Awards are a program of the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC), sponsored by RBC with media partners Canadian HR Reporter, CBC Toronto and The Toronto Star.