Monday evening, ATD hosted a virtual awards ceremony and celebration to recognize outstanding individuals and organizations for their commitment to talent development. The association honored 26 Excellence in Practice Award-winning companies and 71 BEST Award-winning organizations, including the Best of the BEST—those organizations that have won a BEST Award 10 or more times.

Additional awards given out included the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes an individual who has advanced knowledge and practice across the talent development field. The individual’s thought leadership and contributions to the profession have had a sustained impact on individuals and organizations over many years. In addition, ATD recognized other superior individuals with the Distinguished Contribution to Talent Development Award, Champion of Talent Development Award, and Dissertation Award.

On the organizational side, ATD rolled out the inaugural Talent Development for Good Award, which recognizes companies that have woven talent development into projects or initiatives that have had a positive impact on people, the industry, or society at large. This year’s recipient goes into the history books as the first—but certainly not the last—company to receive this recognition. ATD also gave out the ATD Innovation in Talent Development Award, which honors an effective and sustainable innovation that moves the industry forward and can be replicated within or outside the TD field.

The Best Practices issue of TD magazine highlights all of this year’s winners. It will be handed out on-site to attendees. Find a complete list of winners at td.org/awards, and read more about the winners at td.org/2021-best-practices.