WorldBlu Awards Gala Honours Democratic Workplaces

Winners of the 2011 WorldBlu List of Most Democratic Workplaces were honoured during an awards gala May 20. (Photo Credit: Hollister Thomas)

SAN FRANCISCO — A two-day conference focused on building democratic organizations finished with an awards gala and dinner honouring winners of this year’s WorldBlu List of Most Democratic Workplaces.

Traci Fenton, WorldBlu CEO and founder, shared with attendees at the May 20 event that when she started the company in 1997 she spent a decade going around the world and talking about the idea of democracy in the workplace.

She said she was met with a skeptical eye, with people questioning whether workplace democracy was real and if it could benefit the bottom line. After awhile, Fenton said she wasn’t the only one telling the story.

“I thought wouldn’t it be amazing if we could get all these people and all these stories together and build a community around it. And, so, that’s what we started to do,” she said.

This is the fifth annual WorldBlu List of Most Democratic Workplaces.

Fifty-two organizations are on the WorldBlu List from a variety of industries around the world, representing more than $15 billion in combined annual revenue.

“Thank you to all the companies who have been chartering this path, even before you knew about WorldBlu, you’ve been courageous and daring enough to go on a democratic journey, and to inspire us and to be role models for the world, we are so grateful,” said Fenton.

Miranda Ash, WorldBlu global director of membership and awards, explained how the certification process uses an employee survey scorecard that evaluates an organization on its 10 democratic design principles.

“We believe in measuring the presence of democratic principles rather than a standard set of practices because there’s no one-size-fits-all approach in practising democracy,” said Ash.

The principles are measured on three levels; individual, leadership, and systems and processes.

“When all of those are in operation that’s when democracy at work happens,” said Ash.

Benefits from the scorecard results include clarity on where your organization is on its democratic journey, an increase in understanding of the meaning of organizational democracy, and clearer understanding of how to move forward and implement the practices, Ash noted.

Representatives from 26 WorldBlu-certified organizations were at the awards gala, held at San Francisco’s St. Regis Hotel, to receive their glass award. WorldBlu also shared a video featuring pictures, facts and quotes from all of this year’s awardees.

Fenton said the awards evening was “the cherry on top of a wonderful two days together.”

“I know I’ve been transformed by the time and perhaps you have as well,” she said.

“Inspiring stories, inspiring speakers, inspiring lives, and I know that what we are doing is rippling out all over the world in positive and powerful ways.”

Visit www.worldblu.com to learn more.

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If you have a story to share about organizational democracy, or feedback on this story, contact jennifer(at)axiomnews.ca.