Often the ones that are making the most impactful changes are just ordinary-seeming people who hardly ever get recognized for their work. The changes these employers make start out small and slowly snow-ball into changing policies and standing in the face of adversity, giving opportunities to thousands. Our community owes recognition to these businesses, especially those who know that supporting women and workplace equity is simply good business.
YWCA Olympia is pleased to announce that nominations for their Annual Women of Achievement Celebration will be accepted up to August 18, 2017. Nominations are encouraged for both private and public businesses and large and small companies in the South Sound (Thurston, Mason & Lewis Counties). Previous honorees include Three Girls Media (2014), TOGETHER! (2015) and South Sound Habitat for Humanity (2016).
We are seeking businesses and employers who reflect the YWCA Olympia mission to eliminate racism and sexism to advance the political, social and economic status of all women and girls. Honored nominees could be considered based on a number of additional criteria that have been identified by the YWCA Workplace Equity Initiative. These criteria have been tested and shown to increase gender equity in the workplace. Some examples include workplace flexibility, senior representation, demonstration that gender and racial diversity is prioritized, creates recruiting initiatives for women in underrepresented fields, seeks gender and racial diversity among investment partners, provides support and opportunities to move women up the talent pipeline, offers onsite or subsidized childcare, offers breast feeding support, creates programs that confer employee schedule control, including flex programs and much more.
Nomination forms and an online application is available on the agency website (www.ywcaofolympia.org), and will be due by 5:00 pm on Friday, August 18th. Honorees will be formally announced to the community in early September. The Annual Women of Achievement Gala will take place on Friday, November 10th at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts.
For more information about Business of Achievement nominations, contact Kira Johnston or Cherie Reeves Sperr at 352-0593 or WOA@ywcaofolympia.org.
