WASHINGTON — The American Bakers Association has launched the Champions for a Better Tomorrow Awards Program.
The ABA said the awards recognize the positive impact of the commercial baking industry by spotlighting the work of member companies to effect positive change in their communities, workplaces and the environment. In addition, the program provides a new platform for the baking industry to “share and celebrate the inspiring stories of innovation and leadership that pave the way for a brighter future,” the association noted.
Champions for a Better Tomorrow Awards will be given in three categories: community, workplace and planet.
The community award honors initiatives that enhance and support local communities through charitable efforts, food insecurity solutions, volunteerism, partnerships or social impact programs, the ABA said. Meanwhile, the workplace award recognizes programs and practices that advance employee development, company culture and camaraderie, or employee well-being. And the planet award highlights initiatives to minimize environmental impact via waste reduction, tree planting or garden development, cleanup drives, sustainable employee transportation programs, zero-waste community programs, sustainability education or other eco-friendly programs.
Winners of Champions for a Better Tomorrow Awards will be honored on stage at the 2025 ABA Convention, held March 23-25 in Orlando, Fla., where they will have an opportunity to share their success stories during the event. Award recipients also will receive year-round promotion on ABA’s communication platforms, including podcast interviews, social media highlights, newsletter features and ABA programming during the International Baking Industry Exposition 2025 (IBIE) in Las Vegas in September.
All ABA baker and allied members are eligible to apply for the Champions for a Better Tomorrow Awards. The submission deadline is March 5. Submissions will be evaluated based on innovation (the uniqueness and creativity of the initiative), impact (the measurable and meaningful results achieved, including the program’s reach and significance) and category relevance (alignment with the goals and focus of the award category), the ABA said.
In other news, the ABA announced that applications for its Safety Recognition Program are now officially open. The program honors individual member company sites that excelled in safety, raised workplace safety awareness and stressed the importance of employee safety in the baking industry during 2024. In the 2023 program, 160 facilities were recognized. Safety Recognition Program award-winning facilities will be announced at the ABA 2025 Annual Convention and receive a plaque. Thedeadline to applyis March 12.