This blog originally appeared on Workiva.com on September 15, 2023.

The Workiva Customer Award celebrates the outstanding achievements of companies who have leveraged the Workiva platform to foster collaboration, enhance transparency, and lead the way in digital transformation. These forward-thinking organizations have selected Workiva to revamp their operations, champion innovation, and break new ground in shaping a more promising global future.

Congratulations to our exceptional winners hailing from North America, Latin America, and Asia Pacific.

The Change Makers – KKR 

KKR is the proud recipient of The Change Makers award, recognizing exceptional customer collaborators who provide invaluable organizational feedback to the Workiva Product team, contributing significantly to the development of roadmaps and future betas. Joanne Casey, Director, Business Operations, a driving force within KKR, has played a pivotal role in setting a visionary course for Workiva within her department and executing that vision with flawless precision. Her initial success, coupled with a transparent and collaborative partnership involving Workiva and Embark, has ushered in an era of innovation and strategic development of the Workiva product that was virtually nonexistent just 18 months ago. 

What sets Joanne apart is her exceptional level of collaboration across all internal and external stakeholders, managing expectations for short-term deliverables while fostering a culture of innovation that will resonate for years to come. KKR has embraced Workiva adoption with a well-structured approach, leveraging core Workiva functionality to address immediate pain points. Simultaneously, they have charted a realistic roadmap for future solution development aimed at automating their entire Fund Reporting process. Joanne Casey and KKR embody the spirit of collaboration and innovation that drives progress within the Workiva community.

The Collaborative Catalyst – Sempra

The Collaborative Catalyst goes to Ashley Rosia-Tremonti, Corporate Sustainability Manager of Sempra, who has shown dedication to collaboration and efficiency enhancement in Sempra's ESG reporting journey. This accolade is well-deserved due to Sempra's strong commitment to sustainability. 

As a member of the Workiva Customer Advisory Board (CAB), Ashley Rosia-Tremonti continues to provide valuable feedback to both Workiva and fellow customers, actively serving as a reference for multiple prospect teams, and seeking ways to enhance efficiency in the ESG reporting process. Ashley's commitment embodies the collaborative spirit we aim to cultivate with all our customers.

The Pro Groups Outreach Award – NuStar Energy L.P.

NuStar Energy L.P. has been honored with the esteemed Pro Groups Outreach Award for their outstanding contributions to the Pro Groups community. This award celebrates their significant impact in driving discussions and fostering engagement within the network.

The winning team, consisting of Michelle Wolford Michelle Wolford, Manager of Financial Reporting, Adaire Mackenzie, Financial Reporting Manager, and Claire Abad, VP of Financial Reporting, exemplify proactive community leadership within the SEC Professionals Group. The San Antonio chapter, led by Adaire, Michelle, and Claire, stands as a beacon of excellence in this vibrant community. Their commitment proves itself through consistent quarterly meetings, adept event management, and effective coordination with local sponsors, ensuring an engaging experience for members.

Their resilience was evident during the pandemic as they revitalized the chapter and reintroduced in-person meetings, reflecting their unwavering dedication. Additionally, they maintained regular, meaningful communication with members and successfully mobilized the community on the new online platform.

An exceptional achievement was their hosting of the SEC Pro Group's Q2 national meeting, setting a benchmark for other chapters. Their exemplary leadership and tireless efforts have greatly contributed to the success of the San Antonio chapter and the entire SEC Pro Group community nationwide.

Global Impact of the Year – Grupo Bimbo 

Grupo Bimbo is the deserving recipient of the Global Impact of the Year award, recognizing their implementation of new technology, strategies, and policies through Workiva, that have brought positive changes within their global organization. This prestigious recognition extends to Miguel Angel Cruz Lopez and Daniel Valderrabano Ceja, whose remarkable efforts have driven transformative outcomes.

Grupo Bimbo's journey with the Workiva GRC solution exemplifies the spirit of genuine partnership and unwavering determination. They have adeptly navigated and overcome various challenges, demonstrating exceptional commitment to internal collaboration. Their achievement serves as an inspiring and influential use case, providing valuable insights for both current and future customers worldwide. 

As a prominent client in Latin America, Grupo Bimbo continues to thrive within the dynamic Workiva ecosystem, implementing full GRC globally, including Audit, ERM, Controls, and P&P, fostering global compliance management, refining risk identification and mitigation practices, and streamlining reporting processes to enhance organizational efficiency.

The Art of Reporting Award – AFLAC

AFLAC is the proud recipient of The Art of Reporting Award, celebrating their outstanding utilization of Workiva's designed reporting features. Kathy Shand, in her role within Investor and Rating Agency Relations, has displayed remarkable competence in harnessing the full potential of these tools. Kathy's achievements extend beyond mastery; she has consistently demonstrated an innovative and highly effective approach to implementing Workiva's reporting features. Through this award, we recognize and celebrate Kathy's exceptional skills and strategic acumen in leveraging these reporting capabilities to their fullest potential. 

Community Mentor of the Year – StoneX

StoneX earns the reputable Community Mentor of the Year award, recognizing their exceptional leadership and team member,@..., IT Analyst, has emerged as a trusted advisor within the Workiva Community. Jack's dedication to providing invaluable guidance and resources to fellow community members has solidified his reputation as a reliable source of support and information. His unwavering commitment to assisting others in the Workiva Community showcases exceptional expertise and a genuine desire to create a  collaborative environment, making StoneX and Jack Nelson truly deserving of this honor.

The SaaStainability Leader(s) – The Cigna Group

Cigna, the recipient of the SaaStainability Leader award, has played a pivotal role in establishing a sustainability program within their organization.Jill Magruder, ESG Senior Advisor, has been instrumental in this achievement. Her active collaboration with Workiva in beta testing new ESG solution functionality underscores Cigna's commitment to innovation and dedication to enhancing the product. 

Throughout the implementation process, the Cigna team demonstrated remarkable patience and flexibility, recognizing the evolving nature of the product's development and consistently providing invaluable feedback. Jill's advocacy for Workiva's ESG solution extended across multiple users and teams within Cigna, engaging stakeholders and highlighting the solution's value and impact. Her efforts in securing buy-in and driving engagement reflects a successful partnership that has seamlessly integrated the ESG solution into Cigna's workflows, contributing significantly to its broader adoption and success.

ESG Influencer of the Year – The Hershey Company

Rachel Staab, Manager of ESG & Sustainability Reporting at The Hershey Company, is the distinguished recipient of the ESG Influencer of the Year award for her exceptional role in advancing ESG within her organization. Rachel possesses a remarkable superpower: her ability to connect ESG strategy directly to tangible business outcomes. She collaborates diligently with technology partners to secure innovative solutions for the broader ESG community and adeptly aligns her profound knowledge of the evolving ESG regulatory landscape with the specific needs of her stakeholders. 

From double materiality analysis to value chain management, Rachel is the go-to source for practical insights that provide a no-regrets head start. Even before implementing Workiva, she had already established a highly mature ESG reporting process, and she dived headfirst into our training and support resources during onboarding to bring herself up to speed.

Remarkably, Rachel operated as a one-woman team for the majority of the implementation and go-live phases, skillfully managing a large group of new users with grace and patience while continuously seeking efficiency improvements in their processes. Her collaboration with our Product team has been extensive, offering valuable feedback to enhance the ESG offering not just for her own use but for the benefit of all future ESG customers. Rachel Staab's dedication and profound impact within The Hershey Company exemplify the true essence of an ESG influencer.

Data Visionary – Fannie Mae

Fannie Mae's Brian Simms is the distinguished recipient of the Data Visionary award, honoring his exceptional proficiency in harnessing Workiva's potent data capabilities, from conducting comprehensive analyses to presenting data compellingly within his organization. Brian stands out as the quintessential Workiva power user, dedicating substantial time and effort to maximize data's role as a strategic asset within his organization. His unwavering commitment extends to consistently pushing boundaries and serving as an inspiration and educator, championing the transformative potential of data-driven decision-making for his peers and colleagues.

Assurance Over ESG – Northrop Grumman 

Joe Newell, as an Audit Manager, along with the entire Northrop Grumman team, have consistently displayed a commitment to excellence, embracing innovation, and exploring best practices in their collaborative efforts.

Northrop Grumman has thoughtfully evaluated its processes and internal controls, taking a proactive approach to ESG reporting. They have effectively leveraged Workiva tools to facilitate this work, demonstrating a strategic and collaborative approach to achieving their organization's ESG reporting objectives. Northrop Grumman's exceptional partnership and dedication make them truly deserving of this award, and we extend our appreciation for their outstanding contributions while wishing them continued success in their endeavors.

GRC Innovator of the Year – Best Egg  

Best Egg, the proud recipient of the GRC Innovator of the Year award, stands out as the customer that has been instrumental in introducing new methods, ideas, and products to expand the Workiva platform within the GRC suite. Heather Holding, representing Best Egg, is a genuine partner who continually shares innovative ideas, offers valuable feedback, and inspires Workiva to innovate further.

Heather's proactive engagement with Workiva has led to the development of a new Workflow for Issue Management, a testament to her dedication to enhancing the platform's capabilities. Moreover, her encouragement has been pivotal in driving the creation of unique automation solutions that will not only benefit Best Egg but also prove invaluable to other clients within the Workiva community. Heather's open-mindedness and willingness to participate in Beta Programs, such as Compliance Manager, exemplify her exceptional partnership and dedication to advancing the Workiva platform. Best Egg and Heather Holding truly embody the spirit of the Innovator of the Year award.

APAC Global Impact of the Year – Takeda

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited rightfully receives the Global Impact of the Year award for their outstanding contributions to their global organization through innovative technology, strategies, and Workiva-powered policies. Takeda's journey with Workiva began with a profound recognition of the platform's value, and from day one, they have relentlessly optimized their reporting processes, resulting in remarkable success.

Takeda's strategic vision, unwavering dedication, and innovative approach have been pivotal in achieving significant digitization and automation, thereby freeing up valuable time for enhancing the quality of reviews and disclosures. They harnessed the Workiva platform across various aspects of their operations, achieving full control over external reporting disclosures through SEC. Utilizing Wdata, they streamlined processes, improving accuracy and efficiency by enabling single data source updates across multiple reports.

Takeda's commitment to excellence and strategic use of Workiva has made a profound global impact, setting a standard for organizations seeking to enhance their reporting processes and drive efficiency.

On the Rise Award – Qantas

Qantas represents a new customer who has gone above and beyond in their partnership with Workiva. Donal Cahalan, the Group of External Reporting & Advice Head, and Thuy Dao, the Group External Reporting Manager, have effectively communicated the value of Workiva both vertically and horizontally across their teams. Qantas, Donal Cahalan, and Thuy Dao truly embody the spirit of the On the Rise Award, reflecting the growth potential and collaborative spirit that defines the Workiva community.

Above and Beyond Award – PETRONAS 

PETRONAS epitomizes a customer that has wholeheartedly embraced the full spectrum of what Workiva has to offer. Their commitment to optimizing the platform during challenging economic times has been truly remarkable. Their partnership with Workiva has been nothing short of extraordinary, with their journey involving the scaling of Workiva to encompass multiple entity reports serving as a source of inspiration. With unwavering determination, PETRONAS harnessed the platform's capabilities to fuel their growth, making the most of the potential inherent in Workiva.

They have achieved significant milestones, particularly in the Global Statutory Reporting (GSR) domain, by scaling up to encompass multiple entities within their organization, streamlining their reporting processes, and introducing automation. Moreover, their commitment to standardization through embedded workflows in both GSR and Accounting & Internal Controls (A&I) has greatly simplified operations for their global organization, catering to the needs of multiple stakeholders.

In summary, PETRONAS exemplifies a commitment to excellence, showcasing how Workiva can be leveraged not just as a tool but as a catalyst for organizational transformation and growth during challenging economic times.

Efficiency of the Year – Omni Bridgeway 

Omni Bridgeway earns the distinguished Efficiency of the Year award, recognizing their unwavering commitment to harnessing Workiva's full potential for optimizing efficiency within their team and across the organization. Mark Naylor, Group Financial Controller, Anthony Shen, Corporate Finance Manager, and Andrew McDermott, Finance Manager, have emerged as passionate Workiva advocates. They initially showcased the value of Workiva by presenting their Half Year Accounting & Internal (A&I) Reporting to their board of directors and sharing their vision of future growth and potential leveraging of the platform.

The success of their Half Year report spurred Omni Bridgeway to expand their utilization, incorporating the Global Statutory Reporting solution within a remarkably short span of just nine months since joining the platform. An embodiment of innovation, Omni Bridgeway stands as the first customer in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region to produce a fully designed Annual Report entirely within the Workiva platform, a milestone that both Workiva and Omni Bridgeway proudly celebrate. 

Their journey exemplifies the organization's commitment to maximizing Workiva's capabilities, initially leveraging the Annual and Interim reporting solution and expanding to include Global Statutory Reporting. Mark, Andrew, and Tony's advocacy has been instrumental in driving the platform's value to their board of directors, and their trust in the Workiva team and platform has paved the way for future growth and leveraging of the platform, particularly in fund reporting.