The best learning and development organizations support business initiatives tactically "and" help drive strategic change. Verizon did just that, earning it the No. 1 spot for the first time on the Training Top 125. Verizon and the other 2012 Top 125 winners continued to invest in training, collectively dedicating a mean of 4.52 percent of their payroll to the training budget. This article presents "Training" magazine's 12th annual ranking of the top companies with employer-sponsored workforce training and development. Each Top 125 company was measured on quantitative (70 percent of total score) and qualitative (30 percent of total score) data. Factors influencing the rankings include: (1) Training tied to business objectives; (2) Demonstrable results; (3) Number of trainers; (4) Employee turnover and retention; (5) Leadership development; (6) Tuition assistance; (7) Training technology and infrastructure; (8) Certification; and (9) Training budget and percentage of payroll.