Applications for the 2026 GEN IMPACT Awards open on March 2, recognizing ERGs and Councils that are delivering meaningful impacts and organizational outcomes.
NC, UNITED STATES, February 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Global ERG Network® (GEN) has announced applications will be opening for the 2026 GEN IMPACT Awards, recognizing Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), Councils, and Executive Sponsors that are making meaningful impacts and delivering measurable organizational outcomes.
The awards evaluate nominees on their ability to Innovate, Measure, Progress, Activate, Collaborate, and Transform (IMPACT)—reflecting the strategic contributions ERGs and Councils make for individuals, organizations, and communities—such as deepening cultural resilience, strengthening retention, and building talent pipelines.
“Organizations that treat ERGs as strategic infrastructure see the returns,” said Anna Ettin, Executive Officer of Innovation and Generational Transformation at Tapestry Partner Solutions, which powers GEN. “Not only can these groups accelerate leadership development, but they surface risks early, and keep employees connected through uncertainty. The GEN IMPACT Awards spotlight the groups doing this work at the highest level.”
2026 Award Categories Include: Top 3 ERGs, Top Enterprise-Wide ERGs & Councils, Executive Sponsor of the Year. Organizations may begin the process now by completing an Intent to Apply submission, in advance of applications opening from March 2 through April 17. Award recipients will be announced in August and honored at the 2026 GEN Conference in Charlotte, NC from November 10 – 11.
Virtual Summit Registration Now Open
GEN also announced that registration for the 2026 GEN Virtual Summit is open, bringing together HR leaders, business executives, and ERG leaders for system-level conversations on workforce strategy.
Sessions bring forward “what’s next” with new perspectives on long-standing challenges, and new approaches for emerging opportunities. The programming amplifies the contributions of ERGs as intelligence systems, leadership pipelines, and retention infrastructure—moving well beyond community building into enterprise strategy.
The Summit focuses on four strategic priorities:
Experience into Impact – Linking human experiences to organizational success
Retention by Design – Building workplaces people choose to stay in
Leaders Are Grown, Not Hired – Activating ERGs as leadership pipelines
Engagement That Delivers – Maximizing the connections that create momentum
The virtual format allows participation across regions, roles, and schedules—eliminating travel barriers while maintaining the depth of insight GEN events are known for. Registration is open; bulk tickets and sponsorship packages are also available.
“The Summit is about activating the system already within your walls,” noted Monica Brunache, co-owner of Tapestry Partner Solutions and GEN. “When organizations elevate ERGs and equip every employee to lead from where they are, they strengthen their foundation for sustainable growth.”
2026 GEN Insights Report Identifies Critical Infrastructure Gaps
In January, GEN released the 2026 GEN Insights Report: Top 10 Employee Resource Group and Council Needs, drawing on hundreds of submissions from ERG leaders, executive sponsors, and HR partners across industries. The report surfaces where ERGs are functioning as organizational infrastructure—and where existing systems are failing to support them.
Three findings stand out as immediate priorities:
Leadership sustainability is at risk. ERG and Council leaders are operating under increasing strain as responsibilities expand without corresponding structural support. The report identifies a clear shift from task ownership to system stewardship as the differentiator in resilient ERG ecosystems—where leadership continuity is designed in advance rather than treated as a succession afterthought.
Impact measurement remains disconnected from business systems. ERG leaders face mounting pressure to demonstrate measurable outcomes without clear guidance on what should be measured or how success should be defined. Organizations that close this gap design initiatives with business outcomes in mind from the outset, making measurement a natural extension of the work rather than reporting overhead.
Frontline and deskless employees are structurally excluded. Shift-based, field, plant, and deskless workers remain persistently underrepresented in ERG participation—not due to lack of interest, but because engagement models are built around office-based assumptions that don’t account for how these populations experience their workday.
“This report isn’t about what ERGs should do differently—it’s about what organizations must build to support the work ERGs are already doing,” said Ettin. “When volunteer leaders are expected to operate at strategic levels without strategic infrastructure, burnout becomes predictable.”
The insights report is publicly available and serves as the foundation for GEN’s 2026 Spark Series and ongoing thought leadership.
About the Global ERG Network
Powered by Tapestry Partner Solutions, the Global ERG Network® is the premier learning and strategy partner for ERG and Council leaders and their organizations. GEN equips organizations with the strategy, infrastructure, and insight needed to scale real impact through ERGs and Councils—blending dynamic monthly conversations and an on-demand resource hub with flagship events into one high-functioning ecosystem that moves ERGs from tactical to transformational. GEN is backed by more than 20 years of field-tested expertise designing systems that drive retention, belonging, and leadership pipeline development.
For more information, visit globalergnet.com and follow GEN on LinkedIn.
Anna Ettin
Tapestry Partner Solutions
hello@tapestrypartnersolutions.com
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