About Learning Leaders Award

The Bersin & Associates Learning Leaders Program is a research-driven program designed to identify and recognize organizations which have developed and executed learning and development efficiently and with significant business improvements. Bersin & Associates will select up to three Learning Leaders from each category.    Bersin & Associates will also identify Honorable Mentions to recognize up and coming training organizations which demonstrate much of the criteria for learning leadership. 
The categories reflect six areas identified by Bersin & Associates as critical to learning success:

Operational Program Excellence - Learning programs created to help accomplish business-specific objectives and conducted primarily at the business-unit level (for instance, this category would encompass training programs to meet sales goals, solve customer service problems, reduce product defects, speed time to market).

Leadership Development Excellence - Leadership training for executives, managers and/or supervisors. Leadership development programs that systematically provide learning and growth opportunities to build the leadership capabilities that are necessary to achieve current and future business objectives.

Initiative Excellence - Strategic initiatives across multiple lines of business that support learning, development, and/or talent management (for instance, enterprise-wide competency assessment programs, implementation of performance management processes and system, talent management initiatives for key performers).

Technology Excellence - Implementation and management of learning-related technologies and products, from best case uses of mature learning management systems to technologies such as RSS feeds and podcasts to relatively new products such as performance management systems.

Organizational Management Excellence - Strategic, well-managed learning organizations that deliver high-impact training for the business (for instance, highly effective shared services organizations, sales training groups dedicated to increasing sales results, well-organized and managed learning alliances representing multiple business units).

Vendor Innovation A special category recognizing providers of training products and services for the latest technology tools and platforms as well as innovative processes or approaches that make training more efficient and effective.  Note that this is the only category in which vendors may be named Learning Leaders.   (Vendors may still apply in other categories on behalf of customers.  Should their customers be among the selected Learning Leaders winners, vendors will be credited in Bersin & Associates case studies articles and research reports.)

To make sure any organization can apply and be recognized, we have grouped applicants into three segments.
Global enterprise: organizations with more than 10,000 employees which have global learning and HR challenges
Enterprise: organizations with more than 10,000 employees which have nation-wide learning and HR challenges
Mid-Market: organizations with fewer than 10,000 employees which have smaller training organizations and more limited resources.

Who Should Apply?
Corporate, government, and non-profit organizations of all sizes and across industries with exemplary employee learning and development programs and initiatives who wish to share best practices.  You should apply regardless of the size of your organization -- the program is specifically designed with different segments to give all size organizations a chance to win.  Training vendors and consultants may also participate.  There are two ways: 

1. Nominate customers.   Be sure that the application is developed in your  customer's name and from their perspective.  Vendors, their products, and services will be identified as appropriate in the Bersin & Associates report and accompanying case studies.
2. Nominate yourselves.  We have created a special new category just for vendors.  See Vendor Innovation. 

The application deadline is September 7, 2007.  The judges are Bersin & Associates analysts, each of whom has years of experience in the learning and development industry. To apply for Learning Leaders Awards click on Applications (see column at left of page for links).  Register and select category(s) you wish to enter.  You will receive links to the forms as well as an email with access to all application forms. 

The Bersin & Associates Learning Leaders Program is the only research-based program currently conducted for enterprise learning.  Applicants will be judged on documented benchmark criteria established by Bersin & Associates over years of quantitative and qualitative research.  In addition all judges are Bersin & Associates analysts with extensive experience in corporate learning.  This process gives us clear and consistent criteria for winners and will help all participants learn from the benchmark organization winners.