World’s #1 PeopleFirst HR & Workplaces Awards – finalists include: COS, Equifax, Hitachi Energy, Macmillan Publishers, RS, Staples, SurveyMonkey, Union Pacific
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, March 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Inspiring Workplaces Group (IW) is delighted to announce today their 2026 Inspiring Workplaces Awards finalists across North America, in association with Engagedly. This announcement brings these exceptional organizations one step closer to being named an official 2026 Inspiring Workplace across North America.
Inspiring Workplaces Awards honors organizations that put their PeopleFirst, creating cultures of trust, purpose and belonging. More than just a great place to work, these workplaces empower individuals to thrive.
This year’s finalists represent a diverse cross-section of organizations that are redefining what it means to put PeopleFirst in today’s complex and rapidly evolving world of work. From innovative scale-ups to established global brands, each finalist has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to building cultures rooted in trust, inclusion, wellbeing and meaningful employee experience. Their stories showcase not just policies and programs, but real impact, where people are empowered to thrive and performance follows.
Matt Manners, Founder, The Inspiring Workplaces Group, commented: “Over the past decade and more, we have seen extraordinary organizations step forward to prove that putting PeopleFirst is not a soft choice, it is a strategic one. In a world facing increasing economic uncertainty, technological disruption and difficult political challenges, the need for strong, PeopleFirst leadership has never been greater.
These finalists represent the very best of what PeopleFirst cultures can achieve. They are demonstrating that when organizations prioritize trust, inclusion, wellbeing and purpose, they don’t just support their people, they strengthen performance, resilience and long-term impact. That is the future of work, and it’s inspiring to see it in action.”
Being Named a Finalist
Entrants around the world submit the same entry form telling their PeopleFirst story. A rigorous form consisting of the six key elements that IW believes are fundamental to creating a PeopleFirst culture, and by extension an Inspiring Workplace. They are: Culture and Purpose; Leadership; Wellbeing; Inclusion & Belonging; Employee Voice; and Employee Experience.
Organizations of all sizes and industries enter a category defined by how many people are within the business.
These submissions are then sent to a local panel of independent expert judges who mark according to a clear scorecard. From the shortlisted finalists announced today, the highest-ranked organizations will be announced as winners on June 17, 2026.
The 2026 Inspiring Workplaces Finalists across North America (in alphabetical order)
ABSTRAKT
ActBlue
Agiloft
Airfoil Group
Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc.
Altus Group
Amplify Credit Union
Arity
AutoLeap
Breaktime Media
Businessolver
CI Financial
Cirrus Logic
Cityblock Health
ClearCaptions, LLC
CMiC
Coalfire
CodeSignal
Colliers
Concentrix
Consumer Protection BC
CooperCompanies
COS North America
Coveo Solutions Inc.
CXAI
Dejero
Dexterra Group
Diligent
ENTOUCH
Envoy Inc.
Equifax Canada Co.
Everise
First Choice Health
Firstsource Solutions Limited
Geographic Solutions
GlobalFoundries
GNW Consulting
Hitachi Energy
HMC Architects
Hudl, Inc.
I-CAR
IGS Energy
Intch Inc
International House at UC Berkeley
ISAAC Instruments
Jackson Healthcare
Ledcor Group
Lexipol
Lexum informatique juridique inc.
Macmillan Publishers
MarketStar
Meeting Tomorrow
Nexamp
Northbridge Financial Corporation
Novo Nordisk Canada Inc
Ocean State Job Lot
OneStream Software
Orion Construction Ltd.
PagerDuty
Parkview Health
Paysafe
PitchBook
PMI U.S.
POD Strategic Group
Primary Health Network
Profisee
Proper Roofing & Remodeling
ProSync Technology Group
QualiZeal Inc
Quantum Workplace
ResultsCX
rf IDEAS, Inc.
Richmond International Airport
Rokt
Royal Ambulance
RS
SafeBreach
Sarepta Therapeutics
ScalePad
Sentinel Technologies Inc.
Solar Equity Solutions
SPS North America
Staples Canada ULC
SurveyMonkey
Sweetwater
Swift
Synergy ECP
Tanium
Tata Consultancy Services
The Krazy Coupon Lady
The Nature Conservancy
The Pollack Group
Thompson Thrift
Thrivent
Tricon
TRIMEDX
TriWest Healthcare Alliance
Union Pacific Railroad
United Federal Credit Union
United States Tennis Association
Upbound
Valor
Vestacon Limited
Vetty, Inc.
Victory Home Remodeling
Waste Logic Inc.
Wurzak Hotel Group
Xalient
Winners Announcement
The official Top 100 Inspiring Workplaces across North America, along with individual category winners (by business size) and special recognition award winners, will be announced at an exclusive event, at the Experience Allium, in Chicago on June 17, 2026. Please visit our website to book your tickets and for more information.
Register Your Interest in The 2027 Inspiring Workplaces Awards Now
If you would like your organization to have the chance of being named an Inspiring Workplace in one or across all regions (North America, Latin America, UK & Ireland, Europe, Asia, Middle East & Africa, Australasia), visit here to choose your region, find out more information on the process, and register your interest for 2027.
Sponsorship
There are various opportunities for organizations to partner with Inspiring Workplaces. For more information, please contact matt@inspiring-workplaces.com
Thank you to our 2026 Awards sponsors across North America:
Headline Sponsor: Engagedly;
Gold Sponsors: Knight Agency, Vantage Circle, Radicl, Kudos, Positive Foundry.
About Inspiring Workplaces Group
The Inspiring Workplaces Group is a global organization dedicated to recognizing and advancing PeopleFirst culture. Through its two flagship programs: Certified PeopleFirst™ and the Inspiring Workplaces Awards. The organization celebrates and certifies workplaces where people and performance thrive together.
Certified PeopleFirst™ is an independent workplace culture certification powered by anonymous employee insight, measuring belief in leadership, belonging at work and opportunities for growth. The Inspiring Workplaces Awards, established in 2015, recognize organizations demonstrating excellence in culture, leadership, wellbeing, inclusion and employee experience through a rigorous written submission and independent judging process.
Operating across North America, UK & Ireland, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa and beyond, Inspiring Workplaces has recognized thousands of organizations and continues its mission to change the world through the world of work.
Learn more at www.inspiring-workplaces.com
Matthew Manners
The Inspiring Workplaces Group Limited
44 7799 876473
email us here
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