The 2026 Safety Champion Awards

The Impact Award recognizes an individual who has made a positive, tangible impact on the safety and security of their organization and/or community.

In addition to celebrating our honoree during Verkada One, winners will receive a $15,000 monetary gift.

*If the honoree is employed in the public sector and ineligible to receive honorariums or gifts, Verkada will donate the cash prize to a charitable organization.

Nomination Criteria:

• The individual submitting the nomination must be 18 years or older and a legal resident of the fifty United States or the District of Columbia.
• They must have a personal or professional connection to the individual they choose to nominate.
• Nominators are limited to submitting one (1) entry per Nominee for this category.

Eligibility:

• Eligible individuals must be 18 years or older and a legal resident of the fifty United States or the District of Columbia.
• Nominees must have at least five years of experience in a security or safety-focused role within their organization or community which may include developing new safety, crisis response, or security technologies, strategies, or training programs that have led to measurable outcomes such as reduced incidents, including but not limited to theft, facility lockdowns, unauthorized access, vandalism, or personal injury.

Evaluation Criteria:

Submissions will be evaluated and judged based on the individuals’ impact across all four criteria. Tangible metrics, examples, and/or proof points are recommended to strengthen nominations.

• Innovation: Implementing innovative technologies, processes, or practices that have enhanced security or safety capabilities and outcomes at their organization.
• Transformation: The individual has contributed to a measurable and noteworthy transformation of the business’s security practices in the past 12 months.
• Advocacy: The individual has actively promoted the significance of safety and security within their organization or community through various communication methods/education.
• Community: Individual has demonstrated involvement in their community via participation in community organizations, local nonprofits, etc.

Additional Rules & Legal Information:

• Employees of Verkada, the Security Industry Association, their parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, distributors, suppliers, and advertising and promotion agencies, and members of their immediate families and those living in their households are not eligible to be Nominators or Nominees.
• An individual may nominate themself provided they meet the Nominee eligibility requirements.
• Additional requirements apply. See Official Rulesfor full contest rules.

The AI Transformation Award recognizes a Verkada customer who has leveraged Verkada’s AI-powered technology in a novel way to enhance safety or operational efficiency within their organization and/or community.

In addition to celebrating our honoree during Verkada One, winners will receive a $10,000 monetary gift.

*If the honoree is employed in the public sector and ineligible to receive honorariums or gifts, Verkada will donate the cash prize to a charitable organization.

Nomination Criteria:

• The individual submitting the nomination must be 18 years or older and a legal resident of the fifty United States or the District of Columbia.
• They must have a personal or professional connection to the individual they intend to nominate.
• Nominators are limited to submitting one (1) entry per Nominee for this category.

Eligibility:

• Eligible individuals must be 18 years or older and a legal resident of the fifty United States or the District of Columbia.
• Nominees must be a Verkada customer.
• Nominees must have at least five years of experience in a security-focused role within their organization or community, with at least one year of experience in their current position, that has led to measurable outcomes, such as reduced incidents, theft, or risk.

Evaluation Criteria:

Submissions will be evaluated and judged based on the individual’s achievements in three areas. Tangible metrics, examples, and/or proof points are recommended to strengthen nominations.

• Innovation: The individual has created innovative processes or practices using Verkada’s AI-powered technology that have enhanced security/operational capabilities and outcomes:
• Transformation: The individual has used Verkada’s AI-powered technology to create a measurable and noteworthy impact on the business’s security or operational practices in the past 12 months.
• Champion for change: The individual has demonstrated exceptional leadership and advocacy in driving the cultural adoption of Verkada’s AI-powered technology, successfully navigating organizational hurdles to inspire others to embrace modern safety and operational standards.

Additional Rules & Legal Information:

• Employees of Verkada, the Security Industry Association, their parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, distributors, suppliers, and advertising and promotion agencies, and members of their immediate families and those living in their households are not eligible to be Nominators or Nominees.
• An individual may nominate themself provided they meet the Nominee eligibility requirements.
• Additional requirements apply. See Official Rulesfor full contest rules.

The School Safety Excellence Award recognizes a school or university that has taken an innovative approach to addressing security challenges, emergency preparedness, and student wellbeing.

In addition to celebrating our honoree at Verkada One, winners will receive $50,000 in Verkada products and associated software licenses for their organization (or a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization of their choosing).

Nomination Criteria:

• The individual submitting the nomination must be 18 years or older and a legal resident of the fifty United States or the District of Columbia.
• They must have a personal or professional connection to the school or university they intend to nominate.
• Nominators are limited to submitting one (1) entry per Nominee for this category.

Eligibility:

• Any accredited school, school district, university, or educational institution in the fifty United States or the District of Columbia with more than 500 enrolled students.
• Nominee school or university must be holding full-time in-person classes at the time of nomination. Remote, virtual, or online schools and universities are NOT eligible for this award.

Evaluation Criteria:

Submissions will be evaluated and judged based on the organizations’ impact in three areas. Tangible metrics, examples, and/or proof points are recommended to strengthen nominations.

• Innovation: The Nominee has implemented innovative technologies, processes, or practices that have enhanced security capabilities and outcomes.
• Health and Wellness: The Nominee has been able to approach safety holistically and promoted the overall well-being of the school community.
• Crisis and Incident Management and Response: The Nominee has improved the readiness and response to emergencies, including natural disasters, medical emergencies, and security incidents.
• Nominees must be a Verkada customer.

Additional Rules & Legal Information:

• Employees of Verkada, the Security Industry Association, their parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, distributors, suppliers, and advertising and promotion agencies, and members of their immediate families and those living in their households are not eligible to be Nominators or Nominees.
• An individual may nominate themself provided they meet the Nominee eligibility requirements.
• Additional requirements apply. See Official Rulesfor full contest rules.