Learn what a Certificate of Recognition (COR) is, who needs it, the benefits, and what it takes to get COR certified. Book a Free Safety Assessment.
If you are looking to get COR certified, you are usually here for one reason: COR is showing up in bids, prequalification, or client requirements.
This post explains what a Certificate of Recognition (COR) is, what it takes to achieve it, how long it can take, and what companies typically miss when they try to “get COR” with paperwork alone.
Not sure what matters for COR? We will review how you are actually running safety today and tell you what to focus on next.
If you are looking for information on what is SECOR? Check out our blog post on What is a Small Employer Certificate of Recognition?
_.png?width=1200&name=What%20Is%20a%20Certificate%20Of%20Recognition%20(COR)_.png)
A Certificate of Recognition (COR) is proof that your company has developed and implemented a health and safety management system that meets a recognized standard, and that system has been verified through an audit.
In Alberta, COR is connected to WCB Alberta’s Partnerships in Injury Reduction (PIR) program and is delivered through accredited certifying partners.
In general, certifying partners provide training, guidance, and audit quality assurance as part of the process.
A key point many companies miss is implementation. You can have a strong safety manual, but if supervisors and crews are not consistently using the program, you will struggle to achieve and maintain COR.
Employee count note: In Alberta, companies with 10 or fewer workers under their WCB account typically pursue SECOR, and companies above that threshold typically pursue COR. Your certifying partner can confirm eligibility based on how your organization is counted under WCB.
If you have documents but are not sure if your program is actually COR-ready, we will help you get clear on what matters.
There are many reasons why employers want to get their company COR certified, but typically what we hear is:
If COR is coming up in bids, it is usually because larger clients use it to screen for contractors who can prove they run safety consistently across projects. COR often becomes a “price of entry” requirement for certain owners and general contractors.
Show potential employees that you take their health and safety seriously. Your company wants to put the systems in place and provide employees with the tools to go home safe every day from the worksite.
Whether your company is brand new or has been operating for some time, it will have its own unique “Safety Culture”. This is the way management and workers view safety in the workplace. The requirements and standards of COR will impact and change your safety culture in a positive way. Your industry partner has a wealth of resources available. If you want to “get it right” in a brand new business or if you are experiencing “push back” in a long-established company, your industry partner is there to help.
With a complete health and safety management system in place, you will have the tools to ensure your employees are properly trained to conduct their tasks safely. By implementing your safety program to the specifications of your provincial Partnership in Industry Prevention Program, your company and your workers will become more “safety-focused”.
A safe and happy employee that has the tools and training to complete their work safely means jobs get done on time and right the first time without having to worry about rework. When workers know that company management is committed to their safety in the workplace, everything works better!
WCB premiums can be expensive as you grow. In Alberta, maintaining COR through the PIR program can make you eligible for WCB premium refunds tied to COR achievement and ongoing maintenance. WCB Alberta outlines that COR holders can receive a 10% industry rate refund in the first year, then 5% each year you maintain COR (subject to program rules).
Some certifying partners also describe COR and SECOR as qualifying employers for refunds up to 20% depending on PIR measures.
The bigger value for most companies is that COR forces a consistent system that reduces incidents, protects production, and strengthens your prequalification position.
We will tell you what to prioritize so your program is maintainable and COR-aligned.
Achieving your Certificate of Recognition can seem overwhelming!
The most important step is getting management's commitment to health and safety. COR can’t be about just reducing WCB premiums. Learn the legal obligations for workplace safety in your province. Appoint someone to see the process through. This will greatly increase your chance of success!
Confirm which certifying partner applies to your industry and province.
Get clear on what your client requirements are (COR, SECOR, site-specific requirements, prequal expectations).
Build or align your health and safety management system to the certifying partner’s requirements.
Implement the program consistently. This is where most companies struggle: inspections, hazard assessments, training verification, corrective actions, meetings, and leadership involvement.
Gather evidence that shows the system is being used.
Complete the COR audit process. In Alberta, COR audits require minimum scoring thresholds, including 80% overall and at least 50% on each element.
Maintain COR with ongoing requirements through your certifying partner.
If you want to know what to fix first and what to ignore, start with a Free Safety Assessment.
Timeline depends on how much of your program is already implemented and how consistent your evidence is across projects.
In Alberta, once your program is in place and you have gathered the required documentation, you can schedule your certification audit. Some certifying partner guidance references a minimum of three months of health and safety documentation before arranging the first certification audit.
In practice, many companies land in one of these ranges:
6 to 10 weeks if you already run consistent inspections, meetings, training verification, and corrective action closeout
3 to 6 months if your program exists but is inconsistent across supervisors or projects
6 to 12 months if the program is mostly paper and needs real implementation
A simple test is this: if a client asked for proof of training, inspections, hazard assessments, and corrective actions from the last 30 days, could you produce it quickly without scrambling?
We will help you estimate a realistic timeline based on your current reality.
%20Simple_.png?width=1200&name=How%20Can%20Safety%20Software%20Make%20Getting%20Your%20Certificate%20Of%20Recognition%20(COR)%20Simple_.png)
Getting your Certificate of Recognition (COR) usually does not fail because a company “doesn’t care about safety.” It fails because the system is not consistent, not maintainable, or not easy to prove when a client asks.
Here are the most common COR roadblocks we see, and how they get fixed.
Roadblock 1: You have a binder, but it is not being used the same way on every job
A written program is not the same as a working program. COR is much easier when supervisors run a consistent routine that includes hazard planning, inspections, training verification, corrective actions, and short safety touchpoints.
Roadblock 2: Safety depends on one person
If safety only happens when the owner is involved, it breaks as soon as you grow or get busy. COR readiness improves when roles are clear and supervisors own the weekly rhythm.
Roadblock 3: Your proof is scattered
Prequalification and COR prep become a scavenger hunt when records live in emails, texts, paper folders, and multiple versions of documents. You need a simple system for collecting and storing proof consistently so you can produce it quickly.
Roadblock 4: You cannot justify a full time safety hire yet
Many contractors pursue COR before they can afford an in-house safety person. The solution is a maintainable program that fits your size today and can scale as you grow.
If you want clarity on what matters for COR in your business and what to focus on first, start with a Safety Assessment.
Sign up to receive our weekly newsletter with helpful safety content below!
Trying to get SECOR certified? See eligibility, benefits, and the steps to become certified. Book a Free Safety Assessment to find out what to fix...
Learn COR certification in Alberta. How long it takes, what drives the cost, and exactly what you need ready before your audit.
Learn how COR certification works in BC, the process, audit requirements, and WorkSafeBC incentives. Book a Free Safety Assessment to get help today.