The purpose of the Morley Gunderson Prize is to recognize and honour current students or graduates who combine outstanding professional achievement with significant service to the Centre.

Nominations may be submitted by current students, graduates, faculty and staff at any time to the Director of the Centre.  A selection committee considers all nominations, and the presentation of the award is a highlight of the annual Sefton Lecture, co-sponsored by the Centre and Woodsworth College of the University of Toronto each spring.

This prize was established in 1997 as a tribute to Morley Gunderson's 10 years as Director of the Centre for Industrial Relations.  Morley career at the University of Toronto and the CIR began in 1971.  He was responsible for the design of the Master of Industrial Relations program in the '70s and initiated the PhD program in the '80s.  From 1985 to 1997, Morley served as Director of the Centre.  His fundraising initiatives in 1997 resulted in the establishment of an endowment fund of over $1 million for student fellowships.

The Morley Gunderson Prize is modelled after Morley's own career, which exhibits outstanding accomplishments as a scholar and researcher in industrial relations, simultaneous with great contributions to the activities and goals of the Centre.