October 28, 2025 — The American Bakers Association (ABA) is proud to announce the opening of applications for the 2026 Champions for a Better Tomorrow Awards, a program that honors baking industry companies making a lasting difference in their communities, workplaces, and the planet.
Launched at the 2025 ABA Annual Convention, the Champions for a Better Tomorrow Awards recognize the innovation, leadership, and commitment of ABA member companies driving meaningful change across the commercial baking sector. The initiative aligns with ABA’s Strategic Plan, celebrating companies whose actions exemplify the industry’s dedication to progress, purpose, and people.
In its inaugural year, 25 nominees were recognized, and six companies were honored across three categories.
“The Champions for a Better Tomorrow Awards highlight the incredible efforts of our member organizations to make a lasting impact,” said ABA Senior Director, Membership and Growth Ben Simpson. “Our mission is to elevate commercial baking as a destination workplace and showcase the powerful stories that inspire pride, progress, and purpose across the sector.”
Awards submissions are due January 30, 2026. Winners will be announced in April 2026 at the 2026 ABA Annual Convention.
Awards Categories:
- The Community Category: Recognizes projects that enhance and support local communities through charitable efforts, food insecurity solutions, volunteerism, partnerships, or social impact programs.
- The Workplace Category: Honors programs are programs and practices that advance employee development, company culture and camaraderie, or employee well-being to create workplaces where individuals thrive.
- The Planet Category: Celebrates initiatives to minimize environmental impact through waste reduction, tree planting or garden development, clean-up drives, sustainable employee transportation programs, zero waste community programs, sustainability education, or other eco-friendly programs.
For more information on the Champions for a Better Tomorrow Awards, please visit https://americanbakers.org/champions-better-tomorrow-awards
About the American Bakers Association
The American Bakers Association (ABA) is the largest, most established, and diverse trade association for the commercial baking industry in the United States. ABA’s community includes more than 375 member companies representing over 1,200 commercial baking facilities and the extensive industry supply chain.
Since 1897, ABA has served as the voice of the baking industry, offering compelling advocacy, insightful thought leadership, and comprehensive research on industry trends. ABA members also benefit from extensive business services including premier networking events, impactful knowledge sharing, and effective workforce development programs and training resources. ABA is committed to enhancing its mission by growing the category and promoting the industry as the destination workplace. In 2025, ABA earned the prestigious Great Place To Work® Certification, underscoring its commitment to delivering on the Higher Level Impact strategic objective by fostering a strong internal culture that drives excellence for the commercial baking industry.
