EMBERS - Organization of the Year

Company: EMBERS, Vancouver, BC
Company Description: EMBERS, an innovative charity that uses business to create social purpose. EMBERS connects people facing barriers to employment with transitional jobs, bridging them to full-time employment and helping them reintegrate into society.
Nomination Category: Company/Organization Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Organization of the Year – Government or Non-Profit– More Than 10 Employees

Nomination Title: EMBERS

In 2001, Marcia Nozick founded EMBERS, an innovative charity that uses business to create social change. EMBERS Staffing Solutions (ESS) is Canada’s only multi-award winning, non-profit temporary labour company that connects people facing barriers to employment with transitional jobs, bridging them to full-time employment and helping them reintegrate into society. Ahead of her time, Marcia grew the organization to a profitable multi-million dollar social enterprise, years before this business structure gained its popularity. ESS is a shining example of entrepreneurial innovation—a competitive business run by a charity. This means that 100% of profits are reinvested in EMBERS’ workers in the form of higher wages, medical benefits, certified skills training, counselling supports, an equipment library, job site transportation and a breakfast program.

By setting high standards in how we operate and treat our workers, ESS is raising standards in the temporary labour industry, where workers are often viewed as disposable and are easily exploited. ESS is reinventing industry norms by choosing to put people first and work for good. Today, ESS continues to grow its economic and social impact: in 2020, ESS employed 2,300+ individuals, paid $11.6M+ in wages and benefits, and provided skills training to 300+ people.

Under Marcia’s leadership, ESS employs thousands of people facing barriers, helping them reintegrate into society. In 2020, ESS employed 2,300+ individuals, paid $11.6M+ in wages/benefits, and provided skills training to 300+ people. ESS continues to grow its operations and impact by expanding its reach, social supports, training programs and partnerships. Since July 2019, ESS:

-Grew 25.6% from $11.7M in 2019 to $14.7M in 2020 ($3M increase despite Covid-19).
-Opened two new locations, now totalling four across BC’s Lower Mainland.
-Introduced a worker-support program, providing job coaching, counselling, community referrals, and emergency loans to bridge unexpected expenses (e.g. medicines), assisting workers in need to continue working.
-Started a housing program to address worker homelessness, including housing referrals/connections; damage deposit loans, first month’s rent; operating a worker-housing facility, meetings with stakeholders to develop a BC worker-housing strategy.
-Expanded skills training programs from $600,000 to $1,800,000, including Women in Trades, Indigenous youth and peer employment.
-Expanded into the warehouse sector, capitalizing on the e-commerce boom during the pandemic. In 2020, ESS developed a partnership with Purolator, a large Canadian shipping/distribution company and employed 100+ workers/day.
-Partnered and collaborated with government, community, and key stakeholders to develop community-benefit agreement programs, resulting in increased employment opportunities for people with barriers to employment.
-In 2020, ESS won the prestigious 2020 Governor General’s Innovation Award. In 2021, Marcia Nozick received the BC Achievement Community Award.

ESS combines the power of economic transactions and social value to maximize total impact—also known as the “double bottom line”. While most other non-profit organizations operate solely based on grants and external funding, ESS has become a self-sustaining business that works to further drive the EMBERS mission. Unlike competing for-profit staffing agencies, ESS is able to invest 100% of profits into meaningful worker outcomes, such as higher wages, healthcare benefits, free certified skills training, free equipment rentals, a breakfast program, counselling and other social supports. These initiatives empower workers to meet their economic and career-centred goals.

In addition to providing free supports to its workers, ESS celebrates collaboration and innovation in the broader community by connecting with stakeholders from government, business and the local community, including:

Community partners like Correctional Services Canada, employment agencies, halfway houses and community groups that refer individuals to ESS;

100+ leading construction companies that hire reliable workers through ESS;

Provincial and municipal governments where Marcia Nozick sits on committees assisting with the development of social procurement policies and community benefit agreements.

Being a leader, educator, and movement-builder in the field of social enterprise, Marcia speaks at national and international conferences (e.g. Social Enterprise World Forum) to promote and lead the way for others to follow in doing “business for social good”.

Reference any attachments of supporting materials

EMBERS is an award-winning organization, with demonstrated success. Marcia and ESS’ innovative approach is attracting national and international attention. Her awards include:

-BC Achievement Foundation’s Community Award (2021)
-Governor General’s Innovation Award (2020)
-Wendy MacDonald Diversity Award, Entrepreneurial Innovation Category (2020)
-University of Manitoba Distinguished Alumni Award (2019)
-Influential Women in Business Award, Business in Vancouver (2017)
-YWCA Women of Distinction Award (2016)
-RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur of the Year (2015)
-Women in Biz Network Social for Good Award (2015)
-Vancouver Award for Excellence, Healthy City for All (2015)
-Canada’s Top Social Enterprise, Trico (2013)