The winners of the 27th Annual Spirit of Winnipeg Awards were announced on March 4, 2016. The awards are focused on honoring, recognizing and bringing together the local Winnipeg business community and non-profit organizations. This year there were 24 finalists and a total of eight awards to be won, in the following categories:
- Start-Up
- Charity
- Social Enterprise
- Non-Profit
- Small Business
- Medium Business
- Large Business
- Environment
For the second year in a row, Assiniboine Credit Union (CCEDNet Member) was proud to sponsor the social enterprise category. A social enterprise is a non-profit owned or operated business that creates social, environmental, or cultural value. The Chamber’s award focuses on social enterprises that aim to create training and employment opportunities for people with barriers to full employment. Jennifer Mullen-Berube, Executive Vice-President and Chief Brand & Innovation Officer at Assiniboine, presented the Social Enterprise Award to BUILD, a local business that is having such an incredible impact on the lives of so many people in our community.
BUILD (CCEDNet Member) is a social enterprise that operates out of the Social Enterprise Centre in Point Douglas, a hive of social entrepreneurship and social impact organizations that they own together with Manitoba Green Retrofit (CCEDNet Member) and Pollock’s Hardware Co-operative. BUILD retrofits homes with insulation and high-efficiency toilets, as well as water-and-energy-saving devices, while creating jobs and training opportunities for people with multiple barriers to employment. 
Their work lowers utility bills, employs neighbourhood people, reduces crime, and decreases greenhouse gas emissions.
The other nominees and finalists from the social enterprise category also deserve our recognition and collective gratitude: Manitoba Green Retrofit partners with BUILD on many projects — all intended to create career ladders for the people they support; (CCEDNet Member) L’Arche Tova Café creates training and employment opportunities for people living with a disability while providing a gathering
place in the heart of their community.
As a credit union dedicated to values-based banking and a member of Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV), Assiniboine uses a business model that creates positive social impact. We are a strong supporter of social enterprises and congratulate all the nominees for their wonderful contribution to our communities.
