Overview

About 4Refuel

4Refuel is North America’s leading mobile on-site refueling provider, serving construction, transportation, emergency services, and mission-critical energy operations. With a workforce of more than 650 across Canada and Texas, and the majority operating in field environments, 4Refuel is recognized for its safety leadership, operational excellence, and award-winning workplace culture.

The Challenge

A fast-growing, safety-critical workforce needed recognition that met the moment.

4Refuel’s people operate in high-pressure, safety-sensitive environments. Every day, frontline drivers navigate weather, complex worksites, heavy equipment, and dynamic conditions to keep critical functions fueled and able to operate. Safety and engagement is paramount to keeping operations running smoothly and safely, and the company needed a unified recognition solution to solve the following challenges:

• Create engaging safety culture: Safety is, and always has been, mission critical. But 4Refuel needed a way to reward safe behavior at scale, reinforce policies in real time, and spotlight the frontline heroes whose work often went unnoticed.
• The frontline workforce was hard to reach: With 75% of employees working out in the field, most without daily computer access, 4Refuel needed a recognition solution that was mobile-friendly, intuitive, and accessible to every person—whether they were on a job site, on the road, or in a truck yard.
• Programs were scattered, inconsistent, and time-consuming: Recognition was different in each department, it needed consolidation to clarify impact and streamline operations.
• Unify company culture: For its 30th anniversary, 4Refuel wanted a cohesive culture that reflected the brand’s core values: People, Passion, Purpose, Pride, and performance.

“Everybody at 4Refuel understands how they make a difference. Whether you’re on a customer site or supporting from the office, you bring value every day.”
Shawn McGuire, Manager, Communications - North America

The Solution

4Recognition: A centralized, purpose-driven recognition platform built around safety, values, and frontline accessibility

Together with Awardco, 4Refuel launched 4Recognition, a fully branded platform that integrated safety, culture, and operational programs into one centralized hub.

4Recognition supports 10+ programs, including:

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NIBCO began by automating their most critical milestones:

• Peer-to-peer shoutouts
• Core Values awards
• On-the-spot manager monetary recognition
• Environmental safety campaign incentives
• Hazard reporting incentives
• Customer Service All-Star Awards
• Sales lead submission incentives
• Service milestones and leadership messages
• Safety All-Stars
• Birthday automations

“We have a lot of different programs to ensure we encompass all our employees. Three of them tie directly to our core values: our peer-to-peer program, our manager-led programs, and our safety programs—like our Safety All-Stars, which is a monthly automated award.”
Marna Lagerquist, Manager, Talent Acquisition and Development

To establish a culture of recognition during onboarding, a personalized message from leaders welcomes users as they join the company. Flexible HRIS integrations power automated Birthday and Service Award recognitions. The platform even houses an upcoming co-worker service milestone widget, company-wide announcements, EAP resources, and benefits links—creating a centralized employee experience hub and establishing 4Recognition as a place employees naturally interact with.

Recognition became the engine, not the accessory, of their safety culture

Through automated awards, manager tools, and real-time tracking, recognition became a natural part of safety conversations.

Safety is a cornerstone of 4Refuel’s operations. Through highly-celebrated initiatives like Safety All-Stars, Courage to Care, seasonal safety campaigns, and on-the-spot safety recognition, the team rewards consistently safe driving, no infractions, proactive reporting, proactive leadership, and participation in seasonal campaigns. Their philosophy is to catch employees doing the right thing and reward it.

“We have an on-the-spot recognition program where leaders can immediately recognize a CRP for demonstrating safe behavior. That recognition is visible across the organization, which motivates others to do the same. Instead of focusing on what went wrong, we’ve shifted our culture to spotlight what’s being done right—and that’s encouraged everyone to follow that path.”
Roshan Varghese, Sr. Director, Environment, Health & Safety

“Employees ask their leaders every month how many points they earned. That conversation is happening in dressing rooms and change rooms—and it drives our entire safety culture.”
Roshan Varghese, Sr. Director, Environment, Health & Safety

A platform built for the frontline and office

With 75% of employees working in the field—often alone, on the road for 10–11 hours a day—4Refuel needed a recognition experience that didn’t depend on desks, offices, or constant face-to-face interaction. Through work phones, email notifications, and a mobile-friendly experience, employees can see recognition as it happens, track their points, and stay connected to the broader team no matter where their day takes them.

“Through our work phones, we get an email when we’ve earned points, and then we can log in to see our total, explore reward options, and decide how we want to use them. It stays top of mind throughout the day—whether we’re driving or working at customer sites.”
Christopher Whilsmith, Certified Refueling Professional

4Recognition also created visibility for a workforce that’s rarely in the same place at the same time. From yards and job sites to home offices, employees can see peers being recognized, and also comment and engage. This turns recognition into a shared, company-wide conversation rather than a moment that happens in isolation.

“We were doing recognition even before we adopted this platform, but this platform made it so easy for our frontline leaders and middle managers to run the recognition program.”
Roshan Varghese, Sr. Director, Environment, Health & Safety

“It’s really meaningful to see CRPs who are out on the road by themselves, along with employees working from home, still interacting and connecting through the platform. It’s almost like our 4Refuel Facebook—bringing everyone together no matter where they’re working.”
Lynne Harkness, VP, People & Culture

“Often, you're on the road for an entire shift, and you may not necessarily interact with a lot of other colleagues… And so being recognized helps you feel more connected with the team.”
Christopher Whilsmith, Certified Refueling Professional

The Results

A recognition strategy that fuels safety, connection, and performance

4Recognition modernized recognition, elevated rewards, and transformed culture at 4Refuel. 

Each month, more employees logged in, more frontline drivers joined the conversation, and more recognition flowed across the organization. Collaboration and engagement strengthened. As participation grew, turnover improved and customer satisfaction climbed, clear signs of an increasingly unified organization.

• With 84% monthly login rates, the majority of employees actively give or receive recognition.
• 24.6% year-over-year reduction in employee turnover
• The Customer Service All-Star Award contributed to a major jump in NPS: From 58% → 77% (a 32% increase)
• 7,537 unique recognitions issued in 2024 alone, with $257,000+ in points awarded (6.3% YoY growth)
• One employee even redeemed $1,400 worth of points to fund a family vacation

“Our people really appreciate the flexibility of 4Recognition. Since all rewards are centralized in one place, employees can save and redeem points however they like on things that are meaningful to them. They can fund hobbies, enjoy a night out, or even pay for vacations.”
Roshan Varghese, Sr. Director, Environment, Health & Safety

A culture where safety is celebrated, not just expected

4Refuel’s safety journey is one of the most compelling examples of recognition supporting real behavioral change.

• 65% YoY improvement in Serious Injury & Fatality Potential (SIFp)
• 55% improvement since 2019 in Recordable Injury Frequency (RIF)
• 15% reduction in 2024 in high-risk behaviors
• 42% reduction since 2022 in high-risk driving behaviors
• 35% reduction since 2019 in Motor Vehicle Incidents
• Zero fatalities in 2024
• 94% participation in seasonal safety campaign participation
• 74% of employees achieved Monthly Safety All-Star eligibility

These aren’t just metrics, it’s lives protected, hazards prevented, and frontline professionals empowered to take ownership of their safety performance.

“Seventy-five percent of our employees are out in the field, so how do we get them excited and engaged? The safety programs really got them energized. They had the opportunity to earn a lot of points, but they also received meaningful recognition. I was really impressed by how much our login engagement increased over time.”
Marna Lagerquist, Manager, Talent Acquisition and Development

Employee pride and satisfaction reached world-class levels

• 97% of employees feel proud to work at 4Refuel
• 92% would recommend 4Refuel as a great place to work
• 94% feel personal accomplishment
• 91% believe their contributions are recognized
• 93% overall engagement

National safety & workplace awards

4Refuel has earned:

• Best Workplaces in Canada (2025)
• Best Workplaces for Women (2025)
• Best Workplaces for Mental Wellness (2025)
• Best Workplaces with Most Trusted Executive Teams (2025)
• Canada’s Best Health & Safety Culture (2024)
• Canada’s Safest Employer in Logistics & Supply Chain (2021, 2023)
• Multiple safety recognitions from customers

Through Awardco and 4Recognition, 4Refuel has built a culture where appreciation is strategic, safety is celebrated, collaboration is encouraged, and employees are empowered. The team’s incredible efforts also earned them the Best Employee Engagement Award, a reflection of their dedication to their people and customers.

Get a demo today to see how recognition can transform your own organization.