Award Celebrates Innovative Initiatives that Advance Women and
Business
NEW YORK--(Business Wire)--
Catalyst today presented the 2008 Catalyst Award for initiatives
that advance women in the workplace to ING U.S. Financial Services
(USFS) and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Both award-winning initiatives are
from companies representing organizations that are headquartered
outside of the United States, a first in the history of the Catalyst
Award. The award, given during the Catalyst Awards Dinner at the
Waldorf=Astoria, attracted approximately 90 CEOs of major corporations
and firms and nearly 1600 senior executives and industry leaders from
over 200 U.S. and global companies.
"This year's exceptional initiatives, both from global companies,
show impact regionally and relevance globally," said Ilene H. Lang,
President of Catalyst. "They reflect the Catalyst perspective -- that
inclusion drives change and women's advancement which, in turn, drives
business success."
Kenneth I. Chenault, Chairman and CEO of American Express Company,
chaired the Catalyst Awards Dinner. "Winning in today's global
marketplace requires talented and dedicated employees who reflect the
diversity of the markets they are serving. They make the measurable
difference in understanding the unique needs and aspirations of
customers throughout the world," Mr. Chenault said. American Express
received the 2001 Catalyst Award for its Building a Winning Culture:
Accountability Counts initiative.
ING USFS's Beyond Diversity: Building One ING Culture initiative
dramatically increased the number of women in senior management teams
and created a culture that identifies diversity and inclusion as a
business imperative. Thomas J. McInerney, ING Group Executive Board
member, Chairman and CEO, ING Insurance Americas, said, "At ING, our
initiative isn't just about doing the right thing. Joining the list of
recipients of the Catalyst Award reflects the dedication of ING's
commitment to diversity and inclusion not only for our workforce, but
also our customers. This is an essential milestone in our growth as a
company, and we are honored to be recognized."
Nissan's Women in the Driver's Seat: Gender Diversity as a Lever
in Japan initiative focused on increasing the number of women managers
and employees, using gender diversity to secure business success by
increasing participation from all employees in all areas of business.
Carlos Ghosn, President and CEO of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., said, "To
be successful, we need to reflect the world we serve. At Nissan, we
believe diversity is wealth, diversity is a strength. Fairness,
respect and inclusion are not merely admirable qualities - they are
essential to the cross-functional teamwork that is at the heart of
Nissan's performance."
Earlier in the day, over 500 people attended the Catalyst Awards
Conference, which featured workshops on critical issues of leadership
and inclusion in today's workplace. Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of
PepsiCo, Inc., delivered the lunchtime keynote, which focused on her
journey to becoming the leader of one of the largest multinational
corporations in the world. Under her leadership, PepsiCo was the
recipient of the 2007 Catalyst Award for its Women of Color
Multicultural Alliance initiative.
In the afternoon, leading researchers and experts on diversity and
inclusion issues in the workplace engaged in three wide-ranging panel
discussions based on current and upcoming Catalyst research. In the
Women of Color and Intersectionality session, Catalyst experts and
business leaders discussed the challenges of combining various
identities in a productive working environment, and shared personal
stories of how they managed to successfully balance the intersection
between the ways they identify themselves and their professional
lives.
The Meeting at the Generational Crossroads session explored the
differences and potential similarities of women and men generationally
and across the globe. The discussion focused on issues organizations
are facing with four generations working together in today's
workplace, and what some corporations are doing to break down the
generational stereotypes in order to create a truly inclusive work
environment.
The Including Men in Gender Equity session examined why men are an
important missing factor in developing initiatives that build gender
inclusiveness. Catalyst researchers and distinguished male experts
talked about the barriers to engaging men in gender diversity
initiatives, and looked at strategies that would help more men become
champions of gender diversity.
The Conference also highlighted the successes of this year's
Award-winning initiatives during panel discussions by executives from
ING and Nissan. Cadillac served as the exclusive sponsor of the
Catalyst Awards conference and Shell Oil Company served as the
exclusive sponsor of the Catalyst Awards dinner.
For complete descriptions of past and present Catalyst
Award-winning initiatives and the Catalyst Awards Conference, please
visit www.catalyst.org. For media inquiries, please contact Susan
Nierenberg, 646-388-7744, snierenberg@catalyst.org, Serena Fong,
646-388-7757, sfong@catalyst.org, or Jeff Barth, 646-388-7725,
jbarth@catalyst.org. For international media inquiries specifically,
please contact Susan Nierenberg.
About Catalyst
Founded in 1962, Catalyst is the leading nonprofit corporate
membership research and advisory organization working globally with
businesses and the professions to build inclusive environments and
expand opportunities for women and business. With offices in the
United States, Canada, and Europe, and the support and confidence of
more than 370 leading corporations, firms, business schools, and
associations, Catalyst is connected to business and its changing needs
and is the premier resource for information and data about women in
the workplace. In addition, Catalyst honors exemplary business
initiatives that promote women's leadership with the annual Catalyst
Award.
About the Catalyst Award
The Catalyst Award is presented annually to companies and firms
with outstanding initiatives that result in women's career development
and advancement. Catalyst's rigorous, year-long examination of
initiatives and their measurable results culminates in intensive,
on-site reviews at finalist companies. The Catalyst Award provides the
business community with replicable change models that are good for
business and good for women. For more information about Catalyst and
the Catalyst Award application process, please visit www.catalyst.org.
About ING
ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering
banking, insurance and asset management to more than 75 million
private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50
countries. With a diverse workforce of over 120,000 people, ING
comprises a broad spectrum of prominent companies that increasingly
serve their clients under the ING brand. In the U.S., the ING family
of companies offer a comprehensive array of financial services to
retail and institutional clients which include life insurance,
retirement plans, mutual funds, managed accounts, alternative
investments, direct banking, institutional investment management,
annuities, employee benefits, financial planning, and reinsurance. ING
holds top-tier rankings in key U.S. markets and serves over 15 million
customers across the nation.
About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Nissan Motor Company generated global net revenues of 10.468
trillion yen in 2006. Nissan is present in all major global auto
markets selling a comprehensive range of cars, pickup trucks, SUVs and
light commercial vehicles under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. Nissan
employs over 180,000 people worldwide. Under the Nissan Value-Up
business plan, the company continues to focus on long-term sustainable
and profitable growth driven by three commitments: to maintain top
level of operating profit margin among global automakers, to achieve
global sales of 4.2 million units in 2009, and 20% return on invested
capital on average over the course of the plan.
Catalyst
Media:
Susan Nierenberg, 646-388-7744
snierenberg@catalyst.org
or
Serena Fong, 646-388-7757
sfong@catalyst.org
or
Jeff Barth, 646-388-7725
jbarth@catalyst.org
or
International:
Susan Nierenberg, 646-388-7744
snierenberg@catalyst.org
Copyright Business Wire 2008
