The Deloitte list of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for 2012 is out, and not many technology firms made the cut this year.
Established in 1993, the annual list recognizes excellence in Canadian owned and managed companies with annual revenues of over $10 million. Deloitte says its focuses is on overall business performance and sustained growth, and more than just financial performance is measured. Sustainable growth, job creation and market leadership are also looked for.
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“During the program’s 20-year history, thousands of private companies have competed for this designation,” says John Hughes, national leader for Deloitte’s Canada’s Best Managed Companies program, in a statement. “This year’s winners have proven that even during a global financial crisis, they are still optimistic about the future, focusing on key operating metrics and accountability.”
There’s actually several best managed lists. The main top 50 list is primarily newcomers to the Deloitte best managed rankings. Four technology companies made this list:
- Desire2Learn, a Kitchener, Ont.-based e-learning solutions developer,
- Intelex, a Toronto-based developer of software for environmental, health and safety and quality management,
- PCO Innovation, a Montreal-based process lifecycle management company, and
- ESRI Canada, a Toronto-based developer of geographic information systems (GIS) solutions.
Deloitte also produces a separate list of companies that have re-qualified for the Best Managed Companies designation again this year, and Calgary’s Long View was among the technology companies to make this list.
“It was an honour to make the list last year, but internally we also viewed it as a challenge. Now that we’ve made it, how do we ensure we’re still considered one of Canada’s Best Managed a decade from now? It’s an ambitious undertaking, but one I know we’re capable of,” said Long View president Gord Mawhinney in a statement.
“We’ve been successful because we’ve created a work environment where people feel secure, challenged, and cared for. It means we’re able to hire the best talent. And although that approach may not sound particularly novel, in reality it’s quite a challenge, one that becomes increasingly complex as we continue to mature as an organization.”
According to Deloitte, Best Managed winners’ revenue grew by 14 per cent to approximately $5.4 billion, and income grew by approximately 24 per cent.