Winners of 2008 Environmental Employer of the Year Awards Announced

Vancouver, March 14, 2008 – ECO Canada announced the winners of the 2008 Environmental Employer of the Year Awards on March 13th at GLOBE 2008 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The awards were presented to two outstanding Canadian environmental companies in two categories—SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. (formerly SEACOR Environmental Inc.) won in the large company category, while the Delphi Group took home the big prize in the small- to medium-sized company category. This is the second win for Delphi and the first win for SLR Consulting.

 “The Delphi Group and SLR Consulting Ltd. were chosen as the winners of this year’s awards primarily because of exceptional HR practices that have led to a very high level of employee satisfaction,” said Grant Trump, President and CEO of ECO Canada. “Well-developed HR practices are the basis for any company’s success, but particularly when you consider the recruitment and retention demands of our industry today,” said Trump.

Companies are required to complete three requirements to be considered for the award—an employer essay that describes specific policies that contribute to a positive working environment, an employer survey that asks employers to outline things such as employee turnover and length of tenure, and an employee survey, which asks for written feedback from employees on the working environment in the company and needs to be filled out by 25% of total staff.

 “Employers and employees are both surveyed, but the award application process itself is focused heavily on employee feedback,” said Joel Pagnucco, Manager of Employer Services at ECO Canada. “Essentially, it’s the staff members themselves who choose the winners.”

ECO Canada administers the annual Environmental Employer of the Year Awards, but applications are reviewed externally and winners are chosen by an external selection committee made up of HR professionals from across the country.

This year’s finalists in the small- to medium-sized company category were Marbek Resource Consultants and Urban and Environmental Management Inc., while Pottinger Gaherty Environmental Consultants Ltd. and Golder Associates Ltd. were runners-up in the large company category.

The GLOBE Awards are sponsored by the GLOBE Foundation of Canada and The Globe and Mail. They are given out each year at the gala dinner of the GLOBE conference and trade fair.