WBE Canada’s Excellence Awards showcase and celebrate achievements in supplier diversity amongst our certified WBE community and our corporate and government member organizations. The winners of the 2020 Excellence Awards will be presented during this year’s Annual Conference “Supply Chain Innovation
Here are the WBE Canada 2020 Excellence Awards finalists by category and in alphabetical order.
2020 Top Corporation in Supplier Diversity: Finalists
This category recognizes a WBE Canada Corporate Member who is making a distinct and describable difference in the advancement of Supplier Diversity in Canada
2020 Top WBE Supplier: Finalists
This category recognizes a certified women-owned business which demonstrated excellence in business and support for other women owned businesses.
Accenture
In addition to their commitment to developing diverse suppliers through their Mentorship Program, Accenture is also committed to buying from diverse suppliers. This commitment was upheld during COVID-19 pandemic as Accenture purchased PPE equipment from WBE suppliers. Accenture also hosted Design Thinking sessions for Canadian Supplier Diversity Councils this summer to help them mobilize and coordinate our efforts during and after pandemic. Accenture is also actively engaged with WBE Canada holding positions on almost all WBE Canada’s Committees and the Board.
RBC
RBC has a strong commitment to supplier diversity. Their program has a strong C-level support, Tier 1 and Tier 2 reporting and commitment to buying from and promoting WBEs internally and externally. During COVID-19 pandemic RBC stepped up their commitment welcoming new WBE suppliers in their supply chain and giving them much-needed support and visibility. RBC is actively engaged in WBE Canada’s Board of Directors and Committees.
Staples Promotional Products
Being a Tier 1 supplier to many large corporations, Staples Promotional Products is a champion and supporter of Canadian WBEs in their supply chain. Actively engaged with the WBE community even during the pandemic, their program has benefited many WBEs and helped them continue growing through the tough times.
Redwood Classics Apparel
Appreciated by many of our Corporate Member organizations, Redwood Classics pivoted in the midst of the pandemic from being a clothing manufacturer to manufacturing face masks and supporting a variety of industries and organizations. Highly reliable and providing services in a timely manner was integral to gaining Redwood Classics a spot as a finalist of 2020 Excellence Awards.
Walker Law
Walker Law has accomplished many achievements in its ten years of operation that includes the benefit of significant growth and being retained by several Fortune 500 companies. Walker Law, certified since 2014, has had a measurable impact on the Canadian economy as it continues to generate business even during a pandemic. The firm has not laid off any staff members during this time and continues to be retained by at least three clients each week.
Wonderkind
Nominated by multiple organizations, Wonderkind is inspiring by its creative solutions to engage clients and brands. The gift catering service is committed to buying from other Canadian women-owned companies and giving back to communities around them. Their platform is very inspiring and contributed to them being a finalist of 2020 Excellence Awards.
2020 Most Improved Supplier Diversity Program: Finalists
This category recognizes a WBE Canada Corporate Member that has made a distinct and describable difference in their Supplier Diversity Program.
BMO
BMO continues to inspire with its Supplier Diversity Program - as 2019 category winner, they are one of the finalists again this year. Their program is an enterprise-wide initiative with audacious goals, strong C-level support, Tier 1 and Tier 2 reporting and engagement of WBE suppliers before and during the pandemic.
TD Bank Group
TD Bank has a strong commitment to supplier diversity as it continues expanding its Supplier Diversity Program. Their team actively works with category buyers to provide lists of WBEs in specific categories and they are in the process of expanding Tier 2 reporting to ensure that more women-owned businesses have opportunities across their supply chain.
TELUS
TELUS is not new to supplier diversity, but their commitment to buying from and developing diverse suppliers is inspiring. TELUS focuses on building internal awareness of supplier diversity across their procurement, they continually increase their spend with suppliers year-over-year, they have a long-term plan and strong targets for their program.
2020 Supplier Diversity Leader: Finalists
This category recognizes a procurement professional within WBE Canada’s Corporate Membership who is a champion among peers.
2020 WBE Rising Star: Finalists
Awarded to a certified WBE who, within their first 3 years of certification, has demonstrated significant achievements or progress.
Dora Silva-Bolanos
Dora Silva-Bolanos has held a Board seat at WBE Canada since its inception in 2009, becoming Board Chair in January 2020. Dora is a Champion of WBE Canada and Certified WBEs, constantly coming up with programs to support the success of supplier diversity in Canada.
Lisa Ross, Magna International
Lisa Ross is very well-known among the Canadian WBE Community as a champion and supporter. She is always willing to talk to, refer or educate WBEs on their fit within Magna’s supply chain.
Michael Pacholok, City of Toronto
Mike is a strong champion of supplier diversity in the public sector. He was at the forefront of creation of social procurement policy at the City of Toronto and since then has traveled with WBE Canada across the country to speak to leaders in the public sector on embedding supplier diversity into their supply chains. Mike is a Board member and Chair of the newly formed Public Service Development Committee.
Flexus Industries
Flexus Industries has only been in business for one year and certified with WBE Canada almost immediately. Located in Aylmer, Ontario Flexus Industries employees 6 full time and 15 part time employees. As a supplier to the automotive industry in Canada, USA and Mexico, Flexus Industries suddenly found themselves without business when the Covid pandemic hit. After a major pivot they started making masks, face shields and other PPE products.
SOPURE Products Inc.
In spite of being a newly certified WBE company, SOPURE Products Inc. supported corporations during COVID-19 pandemic with their clean PPE products. They are actively engaged in the community.
Staff Shop Inc.
Staff Shop Inc. is a WBE and Aboriginal-owned company which needed to pivot quickly to survive COVID-19 closing the curtain on their hospitality and event niche.. As a result, they catered to essential services, added new service offerings for their valued clients, expanded across Canada, and earned new contracts that repositioned their business to grow to the next level.
2020 WBE Canada Champion: Finalists
This category recognizes an individual or organization who demonstrates commitment to supplier diversity in Canada, namely through referring new Corporate Members or WBEs to WBE Canada.
BDC
City of Toronto
TD Bank Group
2020 President's Award: Winner - To Be Announced during Awards Ceremony
This category recognizes an individual or organization who has demonstrated significant contribution in supplier diversity benefiting or promoting Canadian women-owned businesses in 2020.
2020 WBE Leaders: Winners - To Be Announced during Awards Ceremony
This category recognizes certified women-owned businesses that are actively engaged with WBE Canada Community or our partner organizations.