no subscription required

Sign In Button
2026 Applied Gratitude™ in Business Awards

Recognize the people and companies leading with appreciation.

Nominations are open through August 19. Anyone can nominate an individual, a company, or both — nominees don’t need to be current Thnks customers.

image 1

About the Awards

Every year, in honor of World Gratitude Day on September 21, Thnks recognizes the people and organizations turning appreciation into business impact. The Applied Gratitude™ in Business Awards celebrate gratitude in action — a strategy that strengthens client relationships, earns referrals, and renews the deal. Anyone can nominate. You can put forward up to five individuals and five companies, and edit your entries any time before nominations close.

Applied Gratitude Award: Individual

For a person whose gratitude won, grew, or saved a business relationship.

 

Applied Gratitude Award: Organization

For a company that has built gratitude into how it does business — in client relationships, in how deals are won, in how accounts are kept.

What winners take home

Company Category Winner

$5,000
in Thnks credits

Individual
Winner

$1,000
in Thnks credits

 

$500
in Thnks partner credits

 

$500

donation to charity of your choice

Individual

Finalists

$100
in Thnks credits

Timeline

Frame 3 (1)

Past Winners

sigma_logo color-Blue 1

Zero Company built gratitude into the operating system of the business, literally. Their philosophy, BLISS (Building Love Into Scalable Systems), makes appreciation a repeatable practice instead of a mood. It shows up where it matters most: in how they handle client meetings and the hard conversations, leading with empathy to build deeper client relationships. That's gratitude doing real work, the kind that turns clients into lasting partners.

Frame 1321316046

Christine Dunham leads with gratitude every day at Kantata, where she's made appreciation a daily habit rather than an occasional gesture. When recognition becomes the norm, teams connect and perform better together. The same appreciation that strengthens a team is what strengthens every business relationship.

 

How to Nominate

Step 1

Pick a category — individual, company, or both.

Step 2

Tell us their story. The strongest nominations show how appreciation led to a real result.

  • Who they are

  • How they practice gratitude - be specific! 

  • The result that followed

Step 3

Submit. You can edit any nomination until 
August 19th.

How Winners Are Chosen

After nominations close, a Thnks executive panel reviews every entry and selects this year’s finalists.

Winners are determined by public vote. Each person can vote once per day during the voting window.

Winners are announced the week of World Gratitude Day, September 21st.

People 1

Know someone who turned gratitude into results?

 Nominations close August 19th

FAQs

Who can submit a nomination?

Anyone who is a legal U.S. resident and at least 21 years old at the time of entry. Thnks employees, immediate family and household members, and Thnks’s advertising and promotion agencies are not eligible.

Who can be nominated?

Nominees must be at least 21, reside in the United States, and be a current employee of an active company. Nominees do not need to be current Thnks users to be nominated or to win.

Can I edit a nomination after I submit it?

Yes — you can edit your entries any time until nominations close on August 19.

How are finalists chosen?

After nominations close, a Thnks executive panel reviews every entry. Finalists are selected based on five criteria: consistent demonstration of gratitude, positive business impact, authenticity and emotional intelligence, innovation in relationship marketing, and alignment with Thnks values (Be Thoughtful, Always Say ‘Thnks’, and Be Respectful).

When is voting open?

Voting opens within 1 day of finalist selection and runs for approximately 26 days. Voting closes on September 15.

What are the prizes?

Company Category Winner: $5,000 in Thnks credits to the company, to grow the business through gratitude.

Individual Winner: $500 in cash-equivalent credits at a retailer selected from the Thnks platform, plus a $500 donation to the charity of the winner’s choice, plus $1,000 in Thnks credits awarded to the winner’s company.

 Individual Finalists: $100 in cash-equivalent credits at a retailer selected from the Thnks platform.

All prizes are awarded “as is” per the official rules.

When and how will winners be notified?

Finalists and winners are notified by email within five business days of voting completion. Winners are also announced on the Thnks website.

What happens if a finalist doesn’t respond?

Finalists have five days from notification to confirm participation by agreeing to the official contest rules. If Thnks is unable to reach a finalist or winner within 60 days, the Thnks executive panel may select an alternate.

Where can I read the full rules?

The complete official rules — including eligibility, judging criteria, voting mechanics, and prize conditions — are available here.

I have another question. Who do I contact?

Email marketing@thnks.com