The 2017 Inclusive Employer Award was presented to Norm Langlois and Chantal Faucher on Tuesday for their effort to create inclusive and diverse work opportunities at the Coast Hillcrest Hotel in Revelstoke.
Langlois, who accepted the award Tuesday afternoon at the Community Connections building, says the choice to be inclusive in their hiring is part of a larger effort to contribute to the community.
“I think it’s it supports the community, it’s part of being a good corporate citizen,” says Langlois. “But really it gives purpose to the individual.”
The award, presented once a year in the region by Community Living B.C.’s Community Council, celebrates businesses which strive to provide inclusivity in their hiring of individuals of all abilities.
Langlois and Faucher were nominated for their work with Chuck Ferguson, an employee at the Hillcrest with developmental disabilities who has worked with the hotel for the past seven years.
“I’m really honoured, because I wasn’t expecting awards for this kind of stuff,” explains Langlois. “We do this because we think it’s the right thing to do and we enjoy doing it. We enjoy having Chuck at the hotel and we enjoy his interactions with the other employees. It’s not about getting awards, it’s about just being an employer and doing what you can do to help the community.”
Nominations for the 2018 Inclusive Employer Award are now open. If you wish to nominate a business providing inclusive work opportunities in Revelstoke, email Wendy.Phillips@gov.bc.ca for a nomination form by June 8, 2018.