1.1 This policy establishes a comprehensive framework for recognising and rewarding employees whose contributions, achievements, and behaviors make a meaningful impact on the Organization's success and exemplify its core values. The Organization recognises that timely, meaningful recognition is a powerful driver of employee engagement, motivation, retention, and organizational culture. This policy ensures that recognition is consistent, equitable, aligned with strategic priorities, and available to all employees regardless of role, level, or location. Research by Gallup indicates that employees who receive regular recognition are 4.6 times more likely to be engaged at work.

1.2 This policy applies to all permanent full-time and part-time employees across all departments, levels, and locations of the Organization. It encompasses all recognition and reward activities, including formal organization-wide recognition programs, departmental and team-level recognition initiatives, peer-to-peer recognition, manager-driven spot recognition, and milestone and service anniversary acknowledgements. The policy does not replace or modify the Organization's compensation and benefits framework, performance-based bonus programs, or promotion processes, which are governed by their respective policies. Contractors and temporary staff may be eligible for specific recognition activities at the discretion of their engaging manager.

1.3 The HR department shall be responsible for the overall administration of the Organization's recognition program. Key responsibilities include designing and maintaining the recognition program structure, tiers, and criteria; managing the annual recognition budget and tracking expenditure; maintaining the Organization's recognition platform or system; training managers and employees on recognition best practices and available programs; monitoring program participation rates across departments, levels, and demographics; evaluating program effectiveness through surveys, engagement data, and retention metrics; and reporting recognition analytics to the executive leadership team on a quarterly basis. Department heads and managers shall be responsible for actively participating in recognition activities, nominating employees for formal awards, and fostering a culture of appreciation within their teams.

2.1 The Organization's recognition program operates across three complementary tiers designed to provide frequent, meaningful, and appropriately scaled recognition at every level. Tier 1 — Day-to-Day Recognition: informal, real-time acknowledgement of good work through verbal praise, thank-you messages, peer-to-peer recognition on the recognition platform, and manager shout-outs during team meetings. This tier requires no formal approval and is encouraged as a daily management practice. Tier 2 — Monthly and Quarterly Recognition: structured recognition programs including monthly Star Performer awards nominated by managers, quarterly team achievement awards, and spot bonuses for exceptional contributions. This tier involves a nomination and approval process with modest monetary or non-monetary rewards. Tier 3 — Annual Excellence Awards: the Organization's highest recognition, presented at the annual awards ceremony, recognising individuals and teams who have made extraordinary contributions to business results, innovation, customer satisfaction, or organizational culture during the year.

2.2 The Organization shall maintain a peer-to-peer recognition program accessible through the Organization's recognition platform, enabling any employee to recognise any colleague's contribution regardless of reporting relationship or organizational level. The peer-to-peer program allows employees to send recognition messages linked to specific organizational values, making the connection between individual actions and cultural priorities visible. Recognition messages may be accompanied by a small point allocation that the recipient can accumulate and redeem for rewards from the program catalogue. All peer-to-peer recognition shall be visible on the Organization's recognition feed, promoting a culture of appreciation and making contributions visible across teams. The HR department shall monitor peer-to-peer recognition patterns to identify highly recognised individuals, departments with low recognition activity, and any potential misuse of the program.

2.3 Managers may award spot bonuses to employees who deliver exceptional results on specific projects, demonstrate outstanding initiative, provide critical support during peak periods, or go significantly above and beyond the expectations of their role. Spot bonuses are designed to provide immediate recognition for specific contributions and are distinct from annual performance bonuses. Spot bonus amounts shall range from a minimum of $50 to a maximum defined by the Organization, with the specific amount reflecting the significance of the contribution. Spot bonuses require approval from the manager's department head and the HR department before disbursement. Managers shall submit a spot bonus nomination form that describes the specific contribution, its impact, and the recommended amount. The HR department shall track spot bonus awards to ensure equitable distribution across departments and employee demographics.

3.1 Nominations for Tier 2 (monthly and quarterly) and Tier 3 (annual excellence) awards shall be submitted through the Organization's recognition platform using the standardised nomination form. Nominations may be submitted by any employee, including managers, peers, direct reports, and cross-functional partners. Each nomination shall describe the specific achievement, contribution, or behavior being recognised, the impact of the contribution on team, department, or organizational outcomes, how the contribution aligns with the Organization's core values and strategic priorities, and any supporting evidence or endorsements from colleagues. For monthly and quarterly awards, nominations shall be reviewed and selected by the department head in consultation with the HR Business Partner. For annual excellence awards, a selection committee comprising senior leaders from across the Organization and facilitated by the HR Director shall evaluate all nominations and select winners based on the published award criteria.

3.2 Recognition and reward decisions shall be based on clearly defined criteria that are published and communicated to all employees. Core recognition criteria shall include exceptional performance that delivers measurable results exceeding normal expectations, significant contributions to team or organizational goals and strategic priorities, demonstration of the Organization's core values in day-to-day work, innovation, creativity, or process improvement that creates lasting benefit, outstanding collaboration and support of colleagues across teams or functions, and leadership and initiative, regardless of formal management position. The selection process shall be transparent, and unsuccessful nominees shall receive acknowledgement of their nomination. The HR department shall monitor recognition patterns to ensure that awards are distributed equitably across departments, levels, genders, and other demographic dimensions, and shall address any identified disparities.

4.1 The Organization's reward catalogue shall offer a diverse range of reward options to accommodate different employee preferences and motivations. Available rewards may include monetary awards processed through payroll and subject to applicable tax, gift cards or vouchers from approved retailers and service providers, additional paid time off in increments of half-day or full-day, experience vouchers for dining, entertainment, travel, or wellness activities, access to premium development programs, conferences, or educational opportunities, technology or equipment items from an approved catalogue, charitable donations made in the employee's name to an approved list of organizations, and symbolic recognition items such as trophies, certificates, or branded merchandise for annual awards. The reward catalogue shall be reviewed and refreshed annually by the HR department to ensure that options remain attractive and relevant. All monetary and near-monetary rewards shall be processed in compliance with applicable tax regulations, and employees shall be informed of any tax implications.

4.2 The Organization shall recognise employee service milestones to acknowledge loyalty, dedication, and long-term commitment. Service milestones shall be celebrated at 5-year intervals, beginning at the 5-year mark, with personalised acknowledgement from the employee's manager and the HR Director. Milestone rewards shall increase in value with tenure: 5-year milestone with a certificate and modest gift, 10-year milestone with a personalised letter from the CEO and a higher-value reward, 15-year and subsequent milestones with progressively valued rewards and a celebration event. Milestones shall be acknowledged within 30 days of the anniversary date. The HR department shall maintain a calendar of upcoming milestones and shall notify managers at least 30 days in advance to allow for personalised arrangements. Service milestone celebrations may include a team gathering, a feature on the Organization's intranet, or a public acknowledgement at a company meeting, based on the employee's preference.

5.1 The HR department shall conduct an annual evaluation of the recognition program using a comprehensive set of metrics. Quantitative metrics shall include program participation rates by tier, department, level, and demographic group; the volume and distribution of peer-to-peer recognition; spot bonus and formal award volumes and values; recognition budget utilization; and correlation between recognition receipt and employee engagement survey scores, performance ratings, and retention rates. Qualitative metrics shall include employee satisfaction with the recognition program as measured through the annual engagement survey, manager feedback on the ease and effectiveness of recognition tools and processes, and focus group insights on the perceived fairness and meaningfulness of recognition. The evaluation report shall be presented to the executive leadership team with recommendations for program enhancements.

5.2 This policy shall be reviewed at least annually by the HR department in consultation with department heads, employee representatives, and the executive leadership team. The review shall consider program evaluation findings and effectiveness data, employee and manager feedback on recognition preferences and program design, changes to the Organization's strategic priorities, values, or cultural aspirations, market benchmarking data on recognition and reward practices, tax and regulatory changes affecting reward processing, and emerging trends and technologies in employee recognition. Proposed amendments shall be approved by the HR Director and Chief Executive Officer. Significant changes to program tiers, reward values, or eligibility criteria shall be communicated to all employees at least 30 days before implementation, supported by updated program guidelines and manager training.