Certification

At Excellence Canada, certification is our unique approach to national recognition. We invite you to validate your commitment to organizational excellence using our best-in-class standards. Join the growing list of certified organizations, and Canada Awards for Excellence recipients.

Why Certify?

Excellence Canada Certification provides independent validation of progress on your journey to excellence and national recognition.

Certification helps organizations develop strategic initiatives, innovative ideas and solutions, engage and retain customers and employees, and improve the physical and mental health and safety of their employees.

Our unique four level progressive certification program enables your organization to receive national recognition through the Canada Awards for Excellence, the country’s most coveted organizational awards program. Since 2006, the Governor General of Canada has been the Patron of the Canada Awards for Excellence.

Highlights of Certification include:

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A roadmap for continual improvement.

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A strategic and holistic framework that ensures your organization achieves the best possible outcomes across all organizational drivers.

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A common language for embedding excellence principles and processes in decision making at all levels.

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A foundation for improvements and sustainable results.

Certify to the Standard That’s Right for You

Excellence Canada offers three globally competitive standards to achieve organizational excellence. Each standard has four levels of certification (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum), comprised of requirements that facilitate progressive implementation.
Choose the standard that best meets your needs.

Organizational Excellence Standard

If you are interested in building a culture of continual improvement across all areas of your organization, then we recommend you take a closer look at our Organizational Excellence Standard.

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Healthy Workplace® Standard

If you are interested in transforming your workplace into an engaged and healthy environment, then we recommend you take a closer look at our Healthy Workplace® Standard.

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Mental Health at Work Framework

If you are interested in supporting your employees’ mental health, then we recommend you take a closer look at our Mental Health at Work Framework.

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Financial Wellness Standard

If you are interested in supporting your employees’ financial well-being, then we recommend you take a closer look at our Financial Wellness Standard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Excellence Canada Certification?

At Excellence Canada, our mission is to help improve organizational performance and recognize excellence. Since our inception, our Standards of Excellence have helped thousands of organizations in Canada, across many industries and sectors, to implement continual quality improvement systems and employee wellness strategies.

We offer three globally benchmarked standards for organizations to achieve excellence and receive certification: Organizational Excellence Standard , Healthy Workplace®, and Mental Health at Work.

Each standard has four levels of certification (Bronze, Silver, Gold, and, Platinum), comprised of requirements that facilitate progressive implementation. Each level requires:

  • Demonstration of a progressively deeper and broader commitment to excellence
  • Involves meeting and exceeding requirements
  • Demonstration of continuous improvement
  • Measurement of progress
  • Verification by a team from Excellence Canada

Certified organizations qualify for the Canada Awards for Excellence, our country’s most coveted organizational recognition program. Since 2006, the Governor General of Canada has been the Patron of the Canada Awards for Excellence.

Which certification program is right for me?
We offer three certification programs. Choose a standard that best meets your needs.

Organizational Excellence Standard
If you are interested in building a culture of continual improvement across all areas of your organization, then we recommend you take a look at the Organizational Excellence Standard. This program is an integrated quality-based management system, based on a holistic strategic framework that ensures organizations achieve the best possible outcomes across all business drivers, including Leadership, Planning, Customers, Our People, Processes, and Partners. Learn More

Healthy Workplace® Standard
If you are interested in transforming your workplace into an engaged and healthy environment, we recommend you take a closer look at our Healthy Workplace® Standard. This program will move you from a traditional health program towards a comprehensive, holistic and healthy workplace system with improved measurable outcomes. Learn More

Mental Health at Work Framework
If you are interested in supporting your employee’s mental health, we recommend you take a closer look at our Mental Health at Work Framework. This program will help you create a strong and supportive work environment that promotes the well-being of employees and creates a psychologically healthy and safe workplace as detailed in the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. Learn More

My organization is interested in certification through Excellence Canada. How do we get started?
Excellence Canada recommends using one of our Excellence Canada Certified Coaches to help you and your organization get started on your journey to excellence. A coach will work closely with you to understand your organization’s unique needs and will help you customize your planning and implementation path towards certification.

For more information, contact Bonita at 1-800-263-9648 x233 or [email protected].

What are the benefits of Certification to my organization?

Certification helps organizations develop strategic initiatives, innovative ideas and solutions, as well as engage and retain customers and employees, and improve the physical and mental health and safety of employees. Certified organizations also qualify to receive the Canada Awards for Excellence, our country’s most coveted organizational awards program.

Additional benefits:

  • Facilitates consensus on what needs to be done and establishes a foundation for improvements and sustainable results.
  • Integrates various improvement initiatives and provides a roadmap for continual improvement.
  • Improves communication and provides a common language for embedding excellence principles and processes in decision making at all levels.
What are the costs of certification through Excellence Canada?
The cost for certification is based on the size of your organization, which standard and level your organization is applying for, and whether the organization is an Excellence Canada Partner. At Excellence Canada we recognize that every organization is unique, so a custom quotation is required.
Do we have to be an Excellence Canada Partner to apply for certification?

While it is not mandatory, Excellence Canada partners receive many benefits such as the opportunity to participate on on-site verification visits, network with other partners, access to best practices, and discounts on services and training, to name a few.

What is the certification process?
There are two paths to certification. Click here to learn more.
How long is Excellence Canada certification valid for?
Certification at the Bronze, Silver and Gold Level is valid for two years, while Platinum is valid for three years. Organizations are encouraged to advance to the next level prior to their certification expiry date, however, recertification at the same level is also possible. To maintain Platinum certification and demonstrate continued improvement and sustainability, organizations can re-qualify every three years to receive the Order of Excellence Award, the highest level of recognition under the Canada Awards for Excellence program.
My organization is considering certification through Excellence Canada, but we have some additional questions. Who can we contact to obtain more information?

Excellence Canada would be more than happy to address any questions your organization may have about our certification program. Please complete the contact form and a member of our team will be in touch with you.

What Our Clients are Saying…

Participating in the Mental Health at Work Framework with Excellence Canada provides Ontario Shores with a clear focus for advancing our mental health in the workplace efforts to ensure our work aligns with national best practices. The application of this framework guides our approach to ensure staff have access to the tools, resources, programs, and supports they need to support their own unique wellness goals.

Andrea Marshall, Director, Communications, Volunteer Services and CEOD, Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences

The Social Services Department, within the Regional Municipality of Durham, has been transformed. Employees embrace continuous improvement as a way of life and have created the culture of a caring community. As a result of the Excellence Canada program, our approach to excellence and continuous improvement is not something that is done in addition to regular business, it is now seen as the only way to do business.

Dr. Hugh Drouin, Commissioner, Social Services Department, The Regional Municipality of Durham

Achieving Excellence Canada’s Gold Level Accreditation against the Excellence, Innovation and Wellness Standard in 2019 was an extremely significant step in establishing a high level and sustainable culture of quality within our organization as well as with our many external relationships. It’s an achievement we’re very proud of and remains an inspiration for us to continually do better, every day. Through numerous gap assessments, comprehensive strategizing sessions and the successful implementation of wide-ranging tactics, the Excellence Canada team were value-added and supportive partners throughout our journey. Their guidance and experience in organizational performance allowed us to find our own way towards achieving everyday excellence alongside important external validation. With the emergence of COVID-19 in 2020, York Region Public Health was well prepared to effectively and efficiently manage the ever-evolving pandemic, both internally and externally, in an effort to save lives and livelihoods, and hasten a return to a more normal life for York Region residents of all ages. We know that excellence is an ongoing and continuous process, and Excellence Canada gave us the tools and knowledge to remain committed to measurable improvements for our staff, our partners and our client’s experiences, both now and in the future.

Zahra Kassam, RN, BScN, MHA, Director, Healthy Living, York Region Public Health

The WSIB’s mental health journey has come a long way. Partnering with Excellence Canada has helped us validate we are on the right track to being a leading workplace that supports mental health. This partnership has also helped us understand where we can continue to evolve. We are tremendously proud of the work we’ve done over the past few years to improve mental health in our workplace and are committed to continuously improve and further integrate mental health into everything we do.

Zabina Meru, Mental Health Implementation Advisor, WSIB

As Canada Award for Excellence achievers at the EIW Platinum level in 2020, we are excited to see the evolution of the Excellence, Innovation and Wellness (EIW) Standard to the new outcomes-based Organizational Excellence Standard launching in February 2021. In fact, we participated on the related Advisory Committee. These quality-based Standards and related certification programs provide organizations with a clear path to improve virtually every aspect of your company. From people to process, customer focus to culture and from strategy to governance, these programs have got you covered.  Whether you’re at the beginning of a major change and need more structure and business discipline; or if you’re in the throes of transformation and you need to improve business processes or improve your change management practices or strengthen your stakeholder engagement program, Excellence Canada can help.  They have the tools and frameworks to guide you to a more efficient and effective organization with practical solutions to drive innovation, improve quality, and inspire your people with a thriving culture.   I know first-hand how working with Excellence Canada and following the EIW framework enables organizations to realize their full potential.  We look forward to our ongoing journey with the Organizational Excellence Standard resulting in a Canada Order of Excellence. Join in the journey.  It’s well worth the effort.

Laura Nashman, Chief Executive Officer, BC Pension Corporation

I’m happy to report that this Board has, in the past two years, made great strides into an area where it refused to go in the past. That is, the area of mental health. They have not only acknowledged the problems brought about by illness, they have also decided to throw money at it when it’s needed. From where we sit this is beautiful in many ways, because it means less suffering for those affected by mental health issues. It means that our members can now get the help which they rightly deserve.

Sergio Cacoilo, Local Union President, OECTA Hamilton Wentworth Catholic District School Board

The Excellence Canada journey for the Town has orientated and focused our organization on continuous improvement and provided a clear goal for us to accomplish together. We are now in our second year of our Gold journey and staff from across the organization are developing leadership skills, leading teams and organizing their own organizational improvement projects. The Excellence Canada journey and the support and guidance from our coach has and will continue to be one of the main drivers of our growth towards a culture of continuous improvement. Thank you to the Excellence Canada organization for your partnership and continued support.

Martin Stefanczyk, MBA, CEP, ABCP, Program Manager, Corporate and Strategic Initiatives, Town of Aurora

The Excellence, Innovation and Wellness Standard has given Ceridian external criteria to validate our strengths, and to identify opportunities for improvement. The feedback from Excellence Canada, along with the network of professionals associated with them, helps us to identify innovative strategies to apply best practices.

Ben Lemire, Business Analyst, Ceridian HCM

What we really liked about EC’s framework is the wholesomeness of it or the fulsomeness of it. For example, in many ways the fact that it’s looking at the components of leadership, people, planning, processes, customers – all of those things that are really important as you’re trying to move toward excellence in everything that you do. For us, when we’re looking at best practices, those are the core components. Another thing about EC that we were really taken to, is it compares us to other industries outside healthcare, so it gave us a broader view of how what we do compares to other industries, not just healthcare, which I think also brought in some new learnings for us. Especially early on in our involvement with EC. Most importantly, it’s the learning, its expanding from what we had as our quality program. And then, I think what we love most about it is the celebration. To really recognize what our strengths are through the process and being able to share those successes with others in the organization as well.

Mary Lou Ackerman, Vice President, Innovation, SE Health

Our Journey with Excellence Canada has had a profound impact on our corporate culture. It has served as a vehicle for enhanced staff communication and engagement. Everyone in our organization from frontline staff to the board, have embraced each step along the path to excellence. We are a stronger, more productive and happier workplace as a result. As a result, we were able to shift seamlessly to a work-from-home environment in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Without reservation, I would recommend the Excellence Canada journey to any organization.

Bob Nakagawa, Registrar and CEO, College of Pharmacists of BC

We are thrilled to receive platinum level status in recognition of our efforts to create and sustain a psychologically safe and healthy workplace. All of us at Ontario Shores take great pride in our workplace and the meaningful experience we create for staff, volunteers, patients, families and visitors. That pride is shown through our wellness programs, employee engagement initiatives and the way in which our people care about each other and the work they do. Thank you to Excellence Canada for this tremendous honour.

Karim Mamdani, President and CEO, Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences

How we help

Working with your team and drawing from our experience, we create the best possible outcomes for our clients. Includes training, coaching and consulting.
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Certification

Excellence Canada certification provides independent validation of progress on your journey to excellence and national recognition.
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Partnership

Receive many benefits such as the opportunity to participate on on-site verification visits, network with other partners, access to best practices, and discounts on services and training, to name a few.
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Get Started

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Contact Us

Your journey to excellence begins here. For support and service call (416) 251.7600 ext. 233 or email [email protected]
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