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Awards

The ECO IMPACT Awards honour post-secondary students, organizations, trailblazers, and environmental professionals who are driving real change in their organizations, communities, and the broader environmental sector.

In 2026, we’re proud to unveil a refreshed nomination model for the designed member awards (EP®, EPt, and EP® Auditor) to celebrate a wider range of certified members, simplify the process, and foster meaningful engagement across the EP® Community.

New This Year

We are reimagining how we recognize excellence. Rather than relying solely on peer and self-nominations, ECO Canada will now proactively identify top candidates across award categories using a staff-led selection process. This ensures that more members get the spotlight they deserve – and that no great work goes unnoticed.

But don’t worry you can still submit a name – yours or someone else’s – for consideration. We want to hear your stories, too. So, contact us and tell us what you’ve been up to, get involved with the EP® Community to highlight your impact, or record exciting initiatives and contributions through your member accounts’ professional development activity log.

Award Categories

Sustainability Trailblazers Award

The Sustainability Trailblazers Award celebrates expertise and leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The award recognizes innovative or groundbreaking efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. More detailed instructions are found in the forms below.

Deadline: October 31, 2025 

Nominations can be submitted for individuals, organizations, or communities.

Nominators are asked to highlight the quality and impact of the nominee’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions reduction over the past 2 years by:

  • Describing any innovative, unique, or groundbreaking efforts the nominee has taken to directly reduce greenhouse gas emissions or enable others to do so.
  • Describing the nominee’s direct impact on Canada’s progress towards net zero emissions, whether as a whole or by providing an example from a particular project/initiative.

Submissions will be evaluated based on:

  • Contribution to Canada’s Net-Zero Goals
  • Innovation and Uniqueness
  • Direct Emissions Reductions or Enabling Impact
  • Scalability and Broader Impact

The nominee or a representative of the nominee’s organization or community must be available February 19 – 20, 2026, to accept the award should they win.

EP® Auditor ECO IMPACT Award

The EP Auditor ECO IMPACT Award honours certified EP®(CEA) and EP® (EMSLA) members making a measurable impact through rigorous environmental assessment, verification, and stewardship. 

 

 

 

EPt ECO IMPACT Award

The EPt ECO IMPACT Award celebrates Environmental Professionals-in-training (EPts) who are emerging as future leaders. This award spotlights dedication, learning, and meaningful early-career achievements. 

 

Top Employer Award

The Top Employer ECO IMPACT Award recognizes Canadian organizations in the environmental sector that demonstrate exceptional commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability through their employment practices. 

 

EP® ECO IMPACT Award

The EP ECO IMPACT Award recognizes certified Environmental Professionals (EP®s) who demonstrate extraordinary contributions to the field. These individuals lead impactful projects, influence policy, or push the boundaries of sustainable innovation. 

Community ECO IMPACT Award

The Community ECO IMPACT Award recognizes Canadian companies, groups, and communities that demonstrate dedication to Canada’s environmental growth and positively impact the environmental workforce. 

The call for submissions has ended. Submit your vote here. 

This category is not eligible to organization or groups that employe certified members (EP(CEA), EP(EMSLA), EP, or EPt). 

Nominees are required to submit: 

  • A short video (no more than 5-minutes) detailing a feel-good project or initiative that has/had a positive community impact and environmental benefit(s) 
  • Company logo (to be used in promotion if selected as a nominee) 

Bonus points will be awarded to those nominees who may have engaged with the EP Employer process. 

EPt Student ECO IMPACT Award​ Call for Papers

The EPt Student Paper Challenge invites Environmental Professionals-in-Training (EPt) students to showcase original research, projects, and innovative approaches to today’s environmental challenges. From renewable energy and circular economy to biodiversity and climate change solutions, this challenge celebrates creativity and fresh perspectives from the next generation of leaders. Submissions will be published in ECO Canada’s digital proceedings, with the top paper featured at ECO IMPACT 2026.

The EPt Student Paper Challenge is open to Environmental Professionals-in-Training (EPt) students conducting original research, implementing projects, or developing new approaches to environmental challenges. Submissions can explore topics such as:

  • Sustainable urban development

  • Circular economy and renewable energy policies

  • Climate change mitigation and adaptation

  • Biodiversity conservation and restoration

  • Other innovative solutions advancing sustainability

All submissions will be included in ECO Canada’s digital conference proceedings, with the top paper showcased at ECO IMPACT 2026.

Submission Deadline: December 15, 2025

How the 2026 Nomination Process Works

We have designed a more inclusive and streamlined approach for EP, EPt, and EP Auditor categories allowing for more recognition and less red tape.

There are now two avenues for nomination:

ECO Canada-Selected Nominees

Recognized • Respected • Rewarded

ECO Canada will identify and shortlist at least 10 exceptional candidates per award category based on:

  • Certification status and history
  • Sector contributions and measurable impact
  • EP® Community and ECO Canada engagement
  • Public contributions (e.g. mentorship, publications, presentations)
  • Representation across disciplines and regions

Member Submissions

Acknowledge • Empower • Influence

We’re looking for outstanding professionals who embody the following qualities:

  • Leadership and mentorship
  • Meaningful sector impact or innovation
  • Ethical excellence and collaboration
  • Creating problem-solving or soft skills

Submit your nomination today and help shape this year’s list of finalists.

What Makes a Nominee Stand Out?

We are seeking environmental professionals who exceed job expectations to inspire, lead, and create a lasting impact on the environment. Nominees will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Community Engagement: Are they actively contributing to and supporting the EP® Community?
  • Professional Impact: Have they achieved significant environmental results?
  • Leadership and Influence: Do they inspire others or lead initiatives?
  • Innovation and Problem Solving: Are they developing smart, sustainable solutions?
  • Soft Skills: Do they demonstrate collaboration, adaptability, and resilience?

Who Selects the 2026 Recipients?

You do — the EP® Community!

The recipients of the 2026 ECO IMPACT Awards will be determined through a vote by the community. Every certified EP®, EP® Auditor, and EPt will have the opportunity to vote for their preferred finalist through an online voting system.

Top Employer Nominees

Candidates are evaluated based on:

  • Sector contributions and measurable impact
  • Demonstration of commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability

Community Nominees

Candidates are evaluated based on: 

  • Dedication to Canada’s environmental growth
  • Positive impact on the environmental workforce and/or community

Key Dates

June 3, 2025

Optional submissions open

September 30, 2025

Nominations submission deadline

October 1, 2025

Nominee profiles released and a “Meet the Nominees” campaign begins

October 1 – November 1, 2025

EP® Community voting period

February 19, 2026

Winners revealed at the ECO IMPACT Awards ceremony in Calgary, AB

Want to Get Involved?

VOTE for your peers this fall

SUBMIT a brief if you or someone you know deserves to be recognized

SHARE nominee stories and celebrate the people making a difference

CELEBRATE with your industry peers at ECO IMPACT 2026

Ready to Make Your Mark?

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the ECO IMPACT Awards?

Since 2017, the ECO IMPACT Awards have celebrated certified environmental professionals who are
making a meaningful difference in the environmental sector through leadership, innovation, community
involvement, and professional excellence.

For 2026, we’re transitioning to a staff-led nomination process for our member award categories. ECO Canada will shortlist 10 qualified
candidates per award category, and the EP® Community will vote to select the final recipient. This
change allows us to recognize more deserving members and reduces the barriers to participation

Nominees must be:
• A certified member in good standing (EP®, EPt, or EP® Auditor)
• Actively working or contributing to the environmental sector
• Aligned with the EP® Code of Ethics and its values: stewardship, advocacy, professionalism, and
integrity

Yes! While ECO Canada will lead the shortlisting process, we welcome optional submissions from
members who feel they—or a peer—should be considered. These submissions will be reviewed
alongside internal nominations and may be added to the final shortlist.

We’re looking for environmental professionals who demonstrate:
• Leadership and mentorship
• Tangible impact in environmental projects or initiatives
• Innovation and problem-solving
• Active involvement in the EP® Community
• Strong personal attributes like collaboration and adaptability

Certified EP®s, EPts, and EP® Auditors will vote for their top candidate in each category. Voting opens on
October 1, 2025, and runs until October 15, 2025.

Winners will be revealed and celebrated at the ECO IMPACT 2026 Awards Ceremony in February 2026.

Visit the Submission Page to submit your story or nominate a peer. You can also sign up to receive updates about nominee announcements, voting, and the awards event.

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Land Acknowledgment

In the spirit of respect, reciprocity, and truth, we acknowledge that we live, work, and gather on the traditional territories of the peoples of Treaty 7, including the Blackfoot Confederacy—comprising the Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani Nations—as well as the Îyâxe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina Nations.

This land, known as Moh’kinsstis in the Blackfoot language and encompassing what is now Districts 5 and 6, is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3, within the historical Northwest Métis homeland.

We recognize and honour the deep connection these Nations have to the land, and we are grateful for the opportunity to share in its stewardship.

As we continue our work, we commit to learning from Indigenous knowledge systems, uplifting Indigenous voices, and fostering relationships rooted in equity, understanding, and reconciliation.