Category #1: Alignment

Download Alignment Application

Applicants must explain how the corporate learning unit is assuming a more strategic role in organization strategy by defining methods to support total organization learning. The role is characterized by having deep knowledge of the organizations growth strategy and competitive threats, and understanding how to accelerate work force capabilities to support growth initiatives and build competitive differentiation.

The applicant also must demonstrate how corporate learning programs drive the organization’s business strategies and plays a role in developing a common culture. Applicants must also explain how their work is an integral element of the organization’s strategies. Applicants should describe the involvement of senior leaders and managers in the decision-making process for learning and also how learning contributes to the capability planning process and other talent management initiatives.

Judges will evaluate applications based on:

1. Systems and practices for ensuring that learning efforts directly support the strategic needs of the company (e.g. learning organization structure, governing boards, advisory boards, access to strategic planning processes)
2. Chief Learning Officer’s role in directing the corporate learning unit’s strategy and in influencing business objectives through deep knowledge of organization work force capabilities, and understanding of requirements to build new capabilities
3. Systems and practices for identifying and prioritizing internal clients’ learning and performance needs (e.g. client relationship management, performance consulting, needs assessments, access to development plans, analyzing risk and return on the organization’s total investment in learning through a portfolio approach)
4. Involvement of CEO or senior managers in the learning process (as instructor, subject matter expert, advocate for learning, etc.)
5. Ways in which the corporate learning unit helps drive strategic change throughout the organization
6. Effective support of total organization learning by addressing the larger view of industry and marketplace trends, and the organization’s own competitive gaps

Category #2: Alliances

Download Alliances Application

Applicants must demonstrate how the corporate learning unit has created innovative alliances with external providers – such as outsourcing service providers, learning consortiums, trade associations, e-learning vendors, training vendors, and subject matter experts – to support or manage elements of education and training programs. Applications must describe how these alliances have enhanced the corporate learning unit's contribution to the organization as a whole. These alliances may be strategic or tactical relationships (i.e. a component of the learning function may be outsourced such as training administration (tactical) vs. an alliance may be established with a university to provide core elements of a leadership development program that has been customized to your organization’s needs (strategic)). Applications must explain the corporate learning unit's practices for managing these alliances and driving their value over time.

Judges will evaluate applications based on:

1. Description of the business challenge your organization faced that caused you to explore the alliance, including specific elements of the business case such as the final justification for the alliance decision
2. Processes or systems for choosing which learning products or services to outsource; breadth of services provided by external providers
3. Criteria and processes (e.g. requests for proposals) used to identify and select partners
4. Evidence of a best practice project developed in partnership with an external provider, focusing on a strategic alliance approach, process to gather requirements for program or service, project objectives, methods used to document and measured expected benefits etc.
5. Description of change initiative or marketing/communications strategy used to communicate value and practices of alliance structure to organization stakeholders
6. Demonstration of how the alliance helped advance corporate learning strategy (i.e. reduce costs, generate revenue, speed delivery and retention rate of content, and/or create a learning culture within the organization)

Category #3: Branding

Download Branding Application

Applicants must describe the efforts that inform stakeholders about the work of the learning organization, including setting expectations (Brand Promise), developing innovative marketing strategies (Brand Marketing), and matching the learning experience to those expectations (Brand Experience). Applicants must also demonstrate how branding and marketing efforts have attracted clients to the corporate learning unit and raised its profile in the organization over a sustained period of time.

Judges will evaluate applications based on:

1. The establishment of a clear statement of the learning organization’s promise to the company in the form of a mission and vision and the communication of those elements to employees, stakeholders, suppliers, and customers, as well as prospective employees and investors
2. Processes for planning and developing marketing communications about the learning organization and a strategy for delivering appropriate messages to stakeholders.
3. Development of a unique brand identity (e.g. slogans, icons, merchandise, newsletter, mascots)
4. Use of multiple platforms and media to communicate the learning organization’s brand, offerings, and results.
5. The extent of the involvement of managers and senior leaders in promoting the learning organization (presentations, active participation in learning events, etc.)
6. Methods used to monitor the effectiveness of the messages and assess the degree to which the learning function creates learning experiences that deliver on the brand promise of the learning organization as a whole.
7. Process for ensuring that the learning Brand Promise, Brand Marketing and Brand Experience by stakeholders are consistent.

Category #4: Corporate/College Partnerships

Download Corporate/College Partnership Application

This award category includes partnerships with “for profit” or “not-for-profit” higher education institutions. Applicants must demonstrate how the corporate learning unit worked with a college or university to address a specific business challenge, through degree, certificate or specialized custom programs.

Judges will evaluate applications based on:

1. Description of the business challenge your organization faced when it decided to seek assistance from a college or university
2. Process by which a particular college or university partner was chosen and specific criteria for the choice
3. Description and level of customization of the new program that was required to address the business need successfully
4. Description of resources provided by the college or university to develop the solution and the nature and structure of oversight, coordination and project management activities for both the learning organization and college or university partner to achieve the solution
5. Results and level of satisfaction with the solution developed through the partnering relationship
6. Benefits of the partnership to the college or university partner.
7. Any additional benefits (certificates, degree credits, etc.) offered to the organization’s work force as a result of attending a corporate training program offered through the partnership with a college or university.

Category #5: Launching

Download Launching Application

This award category is for applicants that have recently designed, developed and launched a major new component of their corporate learning strategy in 2008 or before. The initiative must be significant in that it transforms how your work force or organization learns. Examples include: a new corporate university with a formal governance structure, a new leadership academy to provide programs to the total pipeline of organization leaders, a new Social Learning initiative that will extend formal learning through communities and collaboration capabilities.

Judges will evaluate applications based on:

1. Description of the business conditions or drivers that prompted the decision to build a corporate university or new learning initiative
2. The systems, practices and organization structure that were designed and implemented to support the new learning initiative
3. A description of how the new initiative addresses business needs within the enterprise learning strategy and supports the development of a common learning culture across the organization
4. Strategies used to communicate the vision and philosophy of the learning initiative
5. Elements of the change management effort that helped you develop senior leader support and employee engagement
6. Extent to which the new initiative has provided a systematic approach to learning, and the specific steps taken to ensure the new initiative is sustainable over the long-term
7. Measurement strategies developed to determine the success of the launch and the results achieved

Category #6: Leadership Development

Download Leadership Development Application

Applicants must describe how the learning unit prepares current and future leaders to meet challenges facing the organization. Applicants must also demonstrate how the learning organization measures its success in identifying and retaining its leadership talent and keeping the leadership pipeline filled.

Judges will evaluate applications based on:

1. A strategic, organization-wide, systematic approach to leadership development and executive development that supports corporate strategic initiatives and organizational transformation
2. Processes used to identify organization, industry and marketplace conditions that must be addressed through executive and leadership development programs
3. Processes used to identify and analyze leadership innovations that can be integrated into the curriculum, (i.e., principles of adaptive leadership, engaging customers and partners in the strategic dialogue)
4. The shaping of leadership development and leadership and executive competencies around the actual challenges leaders are facing
5. Processes that help executives and leaders develop external perspectives, looking outside the organization, outside the industry and outside geographic regions
6. Ways in which senior executives personally involve themselves in the learning and development of direct reports and other managers.
7. Defined criteria for evaluating how leadership development has been effective and contributed directly to improved organizational performance

Category #7: Learning Technologies

Download Learning Technologies Application

Applicants must describe how the corporate learning unit uses technology to support learning and development. Applicants must also demonstrate ways in which they have created a culture of learning that embraces new technologies and how they used those technologies to meet the needs of their internal clients.

Judges will evaluate applications based on:

1. Methods used to create a culture that 1) integrates work and learning, 2) encourages learning "anywhere/anytime", and 3) promotes collaboration and knowledge sharing.
2. Strategies used to educate the organization – from senior executives to employees – on the value and benefits of the new learning model
3. Quality of the technology systems and tools used to create the new learning experiences
4. Development of online communities and resources that encourage and support “just-in-time” and “just enough” learning opportunities as well as creating informal learning opportunities
5. Process for blending new learning methods effectively with other learning (e.g., social media and networking tools with online learning)
6. Benefits of developing new technologies for learning (e.g. savings, accessibility, global learning) and extent to which these technologies have measurable benefits such as enhancing the efficiency and capabilities of the learning unit, improving employee and organizational performance, etc.

Category #8: Measurement

Download Measurement Application

Applicants must explain the measurement strategy the corporate learning unit uses to assess its impact on the organization. Applicants must also explain how they use measurement data and feedback to drive continuous improvement within the organization.

Judges will evaluate applications based on:

1. Performance measurement strategies that link learning to the business goals of the organization and to personal outcomes for employees, managers and leaders.
2. Description of how the learning function gains agreement with business customers on metrics that will indicate evidence of performance improvement as a result of learning and development
3. Metrics, systems, and tools used to demonstrate the learning organization's impact on culture change, personal outcomes, and business strategies
4. Ways in which the corporate learning unit uses return on learning investment analyses, balanced scorecard, intellectual/human capital measures, or other innovative approaches to evaluate business and cultural outcomes
5. Evidence of improvements in personal outcomes for employees, managers, and leaders.
6. Measurement of the efficiency and effectiveness of the learning organization through benchmarking and other methods of understanding what constitutes best practices.
7. Use of quantitative and/or qualitative trend data for the learning organization’s evaluation of impact.