RPI Announces 2026 Best Practice Standards® Awards Recipients

American Airlines, Banfield Pet Hospital, Dash Solutions, and Liberty Mutual, USRM Claims & Service, were honoured at the annual IMA Summit for successfully implementing recognition programs that follow RPI Best Practice Standards®.

22 July 2026 – Recognition Professionals International (RPI) has honoured four organisations with its 2026 Best Practice Standards® Awards for their use of best practices in recognising and engaging employees. Honourees represent recognition, travel, healthcare, technology, and insurance industries.

The RPI Best Practice Standards® Awards recognise organisations for implementing the RPI Best Practice Standards® in their recognition programs. They are based on knowledge gained from academic literature, professional conferences, and shared experiences in developing successful recognition programs. The standards are designed to be useful for creating and evaluating recognition programs in the public and private sectors, large and small organisations, and organisations with single or multiple locations or functions.

RPI’s 7 Best Practice Standards®:

• Standard 1: Recognition Strategy
• Standard 2: Recognition Roles & Responsibilities
• Standard 3: Recognition Program Measurement
• Standard 4: Recognition Program Communications
• Standard 5: Recognition Training
• Standard 6: Recognition Events & Celebrations
• Standard 7: Recognition Program Change & Flexibility

AMERICAN AIRLINES

STANDARDS 4, 6

American Airlines achieved two RPI Best Practice Standards® categories with their recognition program: #4 – Recognition Program Communications and #6 – Recognition Events & Celebrations.

Recognition at American Airlines is rooted in their mission to care for people on life’s journey. They believe their culture is their greatest strength, and recognition is how they bring that culture to life. By celebrating the efforts and achievements of their more than 130,000 team members, they reinforce the values of integrity, respect, and excellence that define who they are.

American Airlines treats recognition communication as a strategic business function, using targeted messaging, structured program support, continuous measurement, and proactive change management to increase awareness, participation, and engagement. The result is a scalable recognition ecosystem that drives record usage, improves employee understanding, and reinforces a culture of appreciation across the enterprise.

Their recognition events and celebrations strategy is intentionally designed to reach every team member across all roles, locations, and levels. They offer a balanced mix of formal and informal events, equipping leaders with tools for meaningful appreciation, while continually evaluating their programs using feedback and data.

At American Airlines, events create opportunities for leaders to engage, recognise, and support their team members, customers, partners and the company. Through consistent leader involvement, modern technology, and programs that reflect their business goals, American Airlines creates a great participant experience while honouring their culture and company values.

By using recognition as a strategic tool, American Airlines strengthens culture, improves engagement, and supports performance. Through inclusive programs, visible leadership support, well-executed events, and a commitment to recognising employees in meaningful ways, the company creates an environment where team members feel appreciated, connected, and inspired to do their best work.

BANFIELD PET HOSPITAL

STANDARDS 1, 2, 4 & 6

Banfield Pet Hospital achieved four RPI Best Practice Standards® categories with their recognition program: #1 – Recognition Strategy, #2 – Recognition Roles & Responsibilities, #4 – Recognition Program Communications, and #6 – Recognition Events & Celebrations.

At Banfield, recognition strategies are directly aligned with organisational culture, business goals, and people. They strive to foster a culture of mutual respect, teamwork, and a shared passion for pet wellness. Their recognition programs are designed to reinforce these values by acknowledging behaviours that demonstrate their Five Principles: Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency, and Freedom. By celebrating actions that align with these principles, they encourage associates to embody the culture and contribute to collective success.

The recognition program is built on a global platform, designed to connect associates across all business units and geographies. They believe that fostering a culture of appreciation requires active, top-down involvement from leaders at every level. This ensures recognition efforts are not only aligned with overarching corporate goals but also flexible to resonate with the diverse cultures and engagement drivers of their teams. Their process is designed to deliver a consistent global message while empowering local and individual engagement.

With over 18,000 Associates across more than 1,000 hospital locations nationwide, Banfield strives to streamline communications to make recognition clear, accessible, and easy to find. Whether highlighting formal recognition programs or celebrating peer-driven campaigns, they focus on consolidating key messages into the places their Associates trust. By designing each touchpoint thoughtfully, recognition stands out without overwhelming teams or adding complexity.

Banfield’s recognition event strategy is a year-round, leadership-driven approach designed to celebrate achievement, reinforce culture, support development, and strengthen organisational connection across both in-person and virtual environments. Through planning, deliberate investment, and a strong focus on values for their major in-person events, they spotlight the individuals and teams who bring their values to life and remind leaders across our wide-reaching organisation that their work and leadership matter.

DASH SOLUTIONS

STANDARDS 3, 5, 7

Dash Solutions achieved three of the RPI Best Practice Standards® categories with their recognition program: #3 – Recognition Program Measurement, #5 – Recognition Training and #7 – Recognition Program Change & Flexibility.

Using both quantitative data and qualitative insights, such as metrics and employee feedback, Dash Solutions ensures recognition remains effective, scalable, and aligned with their mission: Making People and Recognition Mean More. They achieve this by measuring recognition across four key areas of awareness, activity, satisfaction, and impact.

Dash uses recognition data to continuously evolve programs through monthly reporting on recognition activity and budgets, feedback loops with leaders and departments, and training enhancements based on usage trends. Recognition at Dash is a strategic lever for performance, culture, and growth.

Their people strategy — “Make People Mean More”— is brought to life through a structured recognition ecosystem powered by Spark Spotlight, their recognition and incentives platform; their SPARK Core Values (Solutions, Passion, Authenticity, Respect, Knowledge); Rockstar Budget (manager-led recognition); and company-wide awards and celebrations.

At Dash, recognition training is not optional — it is a core enablement function that ensures consistency, fairness, and alignment across all levels of the organisation. At Dash Solutions, recognition is not static — it is a continuously evolving system shaped by employee feedback, leadership insight, and business needs. They believe the most effective recognition programs are those that listen to employees, respond to data and feedback, and adapt to organisational growth and priorities.

For Dash, recognition evolves alongside their people, their culture, and their business.

LIBERTY MUTUAL - USRM CLAIMS & SERVICE

STANDARD 6

Liberty Mutual, USRM Claims & Service achieved one RPI Best Practice Standards® category with their recognition program: #6 – Recognition Events & Celebrations.

The US Retail Markets Claims & Service Division's well-defined Recognition and Reward Strategy includes day-to-day, formal, and informal recognition. This strategy combines specific programs tailored to the business with broader enterprise-wide initiatives, ensuring that employees feel seen, valued, and appreciated for their contributions and impact within the organisation.

At Liberty Mutual, USRM Claims & Service, cultural, demographic, and geographic diversity are prioritised by designing inclusive recognition events and celebrations that are accessible and meaningful for all employees. Through hybrid meeting guidelines, flexible celebration formats, and proactive accommodations, they ensure every team member, regardless of location or background, can participate and feel valued.

For all formal recognition and celebration events in USRM Claims & Service, the Recognition Program Manager uses detailed project plans that include clear timelines, milestones, and assigned roles and responsibilities to ensure execution and implementation of programs. The Recognition Program Manager is accountable for planning, budget management, and seamless delivery of in-person events. For local celebrations, the Recognition Program Manager provides clear tools and resources for milestones and planning needs for the business partners.

Ultimately, the USRM Claims & Service recognition celebrations are thoughtfully designed to reinforce Liberty Mutual enterprise and USRM Claims & Service’s mission, vision, values, and organisational goals. They intentionally connect recognition moments to their core priorities and key performance indicators, ensuring that employees understand how their achievements contribute to the enterprise’s success.

Special thanks to the RPI Best Practice Standards® Awards judges who gave their time and support to make it possible to honour these organisations for their use of best practices in recognising and engaging employees.

Judges: Jim Bittner, CRP, Centricity; Lianne Booth, CRP, GRP, CCP, Achievement Awards Group; Dennis Dion, CRP, E.A. Dion, Inc.; Emily Gatton, CRP, Engage2Excel; Amy Hurley, CRP, LSW, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center; Marlene Johnson, CRP, Dash Solutions; Angela McNichol, CRP, Virtua Health; and Rachel Rump, CRP, Greencroft Communities.

About RPI

Recognition Professionals International (RPI) is a Strategic Industry Group (SIG) within the Incentive Marketing Association (IMA). RPI is the only professional association at the forefront of workforce recognition, focusing on recognition innovations and education as a systematic method for workplace improvement. RPI members are recognition experts who practice the art of recognition at their companies and recognition solution providers who provide recognition services, tools and platforms to companies as a service.

Contact – Haley Smith | [email protected] | +1 (952) 928-4685