CTRS Market Intelligence
Who We Are
CTRS is a leading provider of Market Intelligence services in North America. We empower organizational leaders with research and analysis to use market signals to their advantage so they can make better and more informed decisions about the future of their organization.
Established in 2003, CTRS has become a recognized player in the market intelligence space and has worked with more than 700 clients across North America and other parts of the world.
CTRS was also one of the first companies in British Columbia to become a Benefit Corporation (2020), a for-profit company that commits to conducting its business responsibly and sustainably.
In 2021, it became a Certified B Corporation, a global movement for an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy. Part of this commitment to balance profit with giving back is realized through CTRS’ Designed2Give program, which sees the company give away a minimum of 5% of our billable hours to non-profit organizations.
CTRS is also a Certified Living Wage Employer and a Certified LGBT+ Business Enterprise. We are thrilled to join the Community of Accessible Employers as it aligns very well with our values.
Why We Are Involved
Its employees have accused CTRS, on occasion, of running a charity masquerading as a business. It’s nothing quite so dramatic. We are scaling a professional services business on a foundation of stakeholder primacy. This means that our leadership style is servant leadership and that our first obligation as an employer is to our employees.
For the past five years, we have been experimenting with our business model to create life-changing employment for those with difficulty working in traditional workplaces.
Some team members face disabilities that preclude them from the traditional Monday to Friday, 9-5 working environment. We accommodate their needs by ensuring even those who cannot work full time make at least a living wage and with a 100% remote working environment – that we give people the space and time that they need to take care of their health and/or dependents that need them.
From a personal perspective, the founder of CTRS (Aaron Cruikshank) has a child with a disability, and many loved ones with various barriers to traditional employment. Aaron also suffers from PTSD from a former career and struggles daily with working effectively.
Therefore, we are part of the inclusive employment movement because we know no other way to be. We are working together to survive in a world that wasn’t made to accommodate our needs and trying to show others how to see the potential in others who do not fit the traditional ideal employee mould.
Everyone has worth. Everyone has something to contribute to the world. Let’s fight the good fight together.
Accessibility Initiatives
Most of our accessibility programs are baked into our HR policies. It’s not really something we can separate from who we are. Here’s how it works:
1. We hire people who cannot work full time because of various issues.
2. We offer them 2x or more whatever the current living wage is so that they can at least make a living wage working 50% FTE.
3. We let people work where and when they want as long as they meet their deadlines (which are typically generous)
4. We have the best extended health coverage that we can get which covers not only traditional medical/dental work but also has an extensive mental health support program as well as long-term disability coverage which covers employees for up to two years of leave.
5. We are always introducing new technology solutions to support different employee barriers and have, in the past, connected with our friends at the Neil Squire Society
We are always looking for new opportunities to accommodate employees with both barriers and gifts and are grateful to be joining the ranks of this organization.
