Celebrating DEI
Advancement

Faena Forum | Miami, Florida
March 27, 2024

Impact Awards

World 50 Group’s 2023 Inclusion & Diversity Impact report revealed an encouraging trend: Nearly three-quarters of respondents expressed that momentum behind their DEI initiatives had either increased or dramatically increased in the past 12 months. While DEI has become a critical priority for businesses today, the companies that are successfully turning DEI conversations into meaningful—and measurable—action are the ones that are empowering the right voices along the way.

We are dedicated to continuing this momentum through the 2024 I&D Impact Awards, spotlighting outstanding organizations, leaders, and teams who are trailblazing systemic and scalable solutions for more equity within the workplace.

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“We have made progress, but we are not done. We need to continue to make DEI a focus. This is a business imperative.”

– Eliana Nunez

Vice President, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, The Cigna Group

A Look Back at 2023

Our Winners

Select

Inclusion Award
Community Impact Award
Gender Equality Award
I&D Ally Award
I&D Leader of the Year
I&D Team of the Year
Innovation Award
Transparency Award
I&D Impact Award

Inclusion Award

Why EY Won

"Creating a center of excellence for neuro-diverse employees and measuring their increased productivity is remarkable. This could serve as the blueprint for many other companies."

"The expansions are allowing for more jobs in key areas; this is phenomenal."

"Great to focus on a topic like neurodiversity."

— From the Judges

WINNER

Inclusion Award

In partnership with

EY’s Entry

In an attempt to broaden and deepen its hiring pool, EY transformed its organizational processes to focus on neurodiversity inclusiveness. As part of these efforts, EY established Neuro-Diverse Centers of Excellence in 20 cities across nine countries, Including Canada, Costa Rica, Japan, India, Poland, Spain, the UK, and the US. Nearly 500 EY people working across these centers of excellence have helped develop creative solutions that save millions of service delivery hours and have enabled almost US$1 billion in value creation. Internally, EY’s neurodiversity inclusiveness is contributing to a more diverse and equitable workplace culture where differences are regarded as strengths, and employees feel a strong sense of belonging.

Highly Commended: Union Pacific

View the Shortlist

Why Amazon Won

“Amazon stood out for its transformative work in creating equity for next-gen tech leaders by empowering underserved and unrepresented communities with the tools and resources they need to thrive. Their Amazon Future Engineer program has demonstrably improved lives and built a brighter future and pathways to alter the trajectory of entire communities.”

"A great example of a joint-up approach tackling the issues of future engineers from underrepresented groups. This is an example of an end-to-end solution starting with young kids and supporting them into adulthood. Working with partners, educators, and education system demonstrates the sustainable nature of this work."

— From the Judges

WINNER

Community
Impact Award

Amazon’s Entry

At Amazon, we look to leverage our scale for good and use our ability to innovate quickly to strengthen communities where our employees live and work. Amazon’s culture is built around solving impossible problems, which is why we’re able to take a different, more hands-on approach than most. We work side-by-side with community partners to solve the world’s most pressing challenges and build long-term, innovative programs that have a lasting, positive impact. As Amazonians, we all have a role to play in addressing systemic barriers that underrepresented groups face, proudly lifting unique and gifted voices each step of the way. We are committed to exposing young people to STEM through Amazon Future Engineer, our childhood-to-career computer science education program. Launched in 2018, and currently available in the U.S., UK, France, Canada, India, and Germany, this past year the initiative reached 3.2 million students, providing $22 million in scholarships.

View the Shortlist

Why Kimberly-Clark Won

“Their well-thought-out and intentional strategy to create a gender-balanced workforce is remarkable. The comprehensive and integrated approach used has yielded impressive results, with measurable impact beneficial to both business performance and the communities. This is an excellent case study that many companies can learn from.”

"Kimberly-Clark has truly created a playbook for others to consider in order to help expand gender equality and have the awareness of the full ecosystem in order to support the employees, community, and company to achieve great results in equality."

— From the Judges

WINNER

Gender Equality
Award

Kimberly-Clark’s Entry

While planning Kimberly-Clark’s newest facility in Sri City, India, the Sri City mill leaders set a bold ambition to employ a gender-balanced team—a daunting task considering the isolation of the mill from a major city and the perception that mill work is often perceived as “men’s work.” Fully aware of the challenge of attracting female employees, the team set up transportation arrangements and travel facilities, provided new accommodation policies, and changed cultural mindsets among managers and team members, such as the ability of women to operate heavy machine equipment. They also changed their recruitment approach by launching an awareness-building campaign to demonstrate the many benefits of working for Kimberly-Clark. Local women, their families, and community members were invited to tour the facility, talk with employees, and learn how we’re working to provide better care for a better world. By demystifying the mill environment and showing the community that it was both clean and safe for women, Kimberly-Clark was able to induct and onboard our first-ever, gender-balanced, blue-collar workforce at the Sri City mill, not only achieving 50% gender parity but also gained widespread community support and gratitude by creating unprecedented opportunities to empower women.

View the Shortlist

Why Ferrero Won

“Creating a grants program that is sustainable and impactful over time shows is a great example of allyship from an arm of the business. Working with partners both internally and externally to drive the DIB agenda through a business lens is amazing to see.”

"With Black entrepreneurs across the US seeking financial resources and mentoring, it is clear that the Famous Amos Ingredients For Success initiative is addressing the real needs of the communities and making an impact."

— From the Judges

WINNER

I&D Ally
Award

Ferrero’s Entry

The Famous Amos Ingredients for Success Entrepreneurs Initiative and Grant Program honors the legacy of Famous Amos’ original founder, Wally Amos, a passionate entrepreneur and trailblazer who impacted many other aspiring business owners. With the goal of helping to strengthen Black businesses and provide increased access to capital, the program supports Black entrepreneurs with financial resources and mentorship — key ingredients that help these businesses drive growth and sustainability. The grant program also allows the brand to authentically carry out its mission of advancing racial equity and supporting economic success in the Black community. Each year, three grand-prize winners are selected by a panel of renowned Black entrepreneurs and receive $50,000 in unrestricted business capital along with business and mentorship resources provided by Famous Amos’ community partner, the National Black Chamber of Commerce.

View the Shortlist

Why Lydia Won

“Lydia's contribution to Victoria's Secret is remarkable, and even more impressive is the partnership she formed to support women with disabilities.”

"Lydia has instituted a complete approach to influencing every part of the organization to engage and incorporate D&I."

— From the Judges

WINNER

Lydia Smith

Chief Diversity Officer
Victoria Secret and Co.

I&D Leader of the Year

In partnership with

Lydia’s Entry

Lydia Smith embodies the essence of an I&D Leader of the Year, reshaping the organization’s DEI strategy and setting a new industry standard. Her visionary leadership highlights that DEI is not just a moral imperative but a strategic advantage in today’s business world. And she has the results to support this critical work. She has been a motivated leader around DEI, engaging with other senior leaders to grow and enhance the program and build it into our entire brand, from associates and leaders to vendors and customers. For the first time, Victoria’s Secret & Co. integrated DEI into its organizational goals. This shift signified a fundamental change in how the company approached DEI, aligning it with its overall strategy and making it a priority at all levels, and creating the following commitments: DEI Vision: To celebrate, honor, and reflect the diversity of our customers, our associates and the communities where we engage. DEI Mission: To inspire and empower all by reflecting on experiences, expanding access, and recognizing diversity. Under Lydia’s leadership, we were recently recognized as one of Newsweek’s most diverse companies to work for in 2023, underscoring our work and commitment to cultivating diversity, equity, and inclusion at VS&Co.

Highly Commended: Sherri Neal, Chief Diversity Officer HCA Healthcare

View the Shortlist

Why Inizio Evoke Won

“Inizio Evoke's DEI Team embodies a remarkable ideal, transformational and true diverse team to lead DEI.”

"Inizio Evoke stands out for their ability to translate vision into action. They have not only established a clear purpose for their team, but also consistently deliver results that move the needle on inclusion and diversity. Their focus on building trust, encouraging individual voices, and fostering collective growth makes them a true embodiment of the I&D Team of the Year spirit."

— From the Judges

WINNER

I&D Team of the Year

In partnership with

Inizio Evoke’s Entry

Our three-year strategic plan started with education and awareness and moved toward action and accountability with measurable impact. Recognizing we couldn’t tackle every subject simultaneously with meaningful attention, our approach was to view DEI holistically while focusing annually on key strategic areas. Our inclusion efforts have a systemic and direct impact because we started with leadership. We demonstrated innovation through initiatives like our sponsorship program and DEI action plans. We also pushed for data transparency. Empathetically overcoming challenges, our tenacity to inspire change is keeping the momentum going. We are committed to ensuring DEI at Inzio Evoke is not just a temporary moment, but an ongoing game-changing movement

Highly Commended: Humana

View the Shortlist

Why Victoria’s Secret & Co. Won

“Victoria’s Secret stands out for its groundbreaking technology that has revolutionized DEI efforts in the fashion industry. Their solution not only addresses a critical need for an often overlooked community but also demonstrates creativity and ingenuity, setting a new standard. ”

"Excellent to see a mainstream brand lean into disability inclusion and produce products that are accessible."

— From the Judges

WINNER

Innovation Award

In partnership with

Victoria’s Secret & Co.’s Entry

Victoria’s Secret’s Adaptive line represents a transformative milestone in the fashion industry, signifying a commitment to inclusivity and accessibility. This line of clothing, including bras and panties, is specifically designed to cater to individuals with disabilities, addressing their unique fashion needs in a thoughtful and innovative manner. One of the standout features of the Adaptive line is its emphasis on functionality without compromising on style. Unlike conventional fashion offerings, which often neglect the practical requirements of individuals with disabilities, Victoria’s Secret’s Adaptive products are carefully crafted to provide both comfort and fashion. This approach includes features such as easy-to-use magnetic closures, adjustable elements, and soft materials, ensuring that the clothing is not only stylish but also conducive to the daily lives of those with disabilities.

View the Shortlist

Why Rio Tinto Won

“Rio Tinto stood out for its unwavering commitment to transparency. They didn't shy away from publicly declaring their stance, even when it involved acknowledging shortcomings. Their open sharing of intentions and improvement targets showcases honesty, realism, and ambition, setting a stellar example for others.”

"Transparency is not only about showing the good stories, but it’s about sharing the good and the bad in order to acknowledge one's willingness to improve, but at the same time, helping others to learn from one's mistake. It was impressive to see Rio Tinto share its DEI journey, and its plans in place to address the challenges."

— From the Judges

WINNER

Transparency Award

In partnership with

Rio Tinto’s Entry

Creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment and fostering a diverse workforce are inextricably linked and mutually reinforcing commitments that will be crucial to the success of our business.   A respectful workplace sets the foundation for inclusivity, ensuring individuals from diverse backgrounds feel valued, heard, and safe to express their unique perspectives. We believe the work we are doing as part of our Everyday Respect initiative is the cornerstone of creating a culture where everyone is treated with dignity and fairness.  As our culture evolves, we are progressing with other opportunities to broaden the scope of our inclusion and diversity initiatives. In 2022 we launched our Transferrable Pathways program (designed to attract women with transferable leadership skills from non-mining backgrounds into our business), created a neuro-inclusion internship pilot and collaborated with other mining companies and leading experts to develop, pilot, then launched a Building Safe and Respectful Workplaces program aimed at educating those new to the mining sector. Recognising this is a societal issue, Rio Tinto has also been proactive in championing change, sharing experiences and learnings with industry peers and other organisations across a variety of sectors.

View the Shortlist

Why Cummins Won

“It is absolutely impressive to see Cummins successfully embedding DEI throughout its employee lifecycle, supply chain, communities, and overall business value chain. This comprehensive approach has positively impacted the lives of its employees through mentoring, coaching, equitable compensation, and benefit programs to support their well-being. It has also benefited the communities through supplier diversity program and other impactful community development initiatives.”

"Significant impact across a number of areas which included the strengthening of the DEI strategy, accountability, tracking progress, and dialing up transparency both internally and externally. This focused approach has positively impacted numerous areas, such as employee representation, supplier diversity, education for the community, and advocating for racial equity."

— From the Judges

WINNER

I&D Impact Award

In partnership with

Cummins Entry

At Cummins, we recognize that leadership requires an unwavering commitment to constantly examining our role in society and how we can meet the evolving needs of our people. In 2021, we advanced several initiatives to ensure that diversity, equity and inclusion remain fundamental principles that connect us to one another across our global footprint. We introduced new, more comprehensive quarterly DEI Dashboards for our senior leaders to consistently monitor and act upon crucial metrics that aid in comprehending the representation, development, and advancement of diverse groups throughout the organization. Simultaneously, we launched extensive training and resources to facilitate meaningful dialogue about race and conducted workshops with our leadership team to enhance their understanding of the profound roots of systemic racism in the United States and its contemporary implications. We recognize we are only as strong as our communities, and we intentionally take actions that focus on uplifting those who remain unfairly disadvantaged. We are united in our relentless desire to see a world and workplace where all people are embraced for who they are and what they aspire to achieve. This is how we win with the power of difference.

Highly Commended: Cargill

View the Shortlist

Register Your Interest

If you would like to register your interest in next year’s awards, please fill in your details below and the I&D Impact Awards team will be in contact with you.