Companies Lauded for Advancing Women in Business

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Catalyst, a nonprofit research and advisory organization working to advance women in business, has announced the winners of the Catalyst Award given to outstanding companies implementing innovative, effective, and measurable initiatives to advance women. The 2003 Catalyst Award winners are Accenture, Ernst & Young, and WellPoint.

"Each year our award is given to companies with proven initiatives that attract, advance and retain women at all levels," said Sheila Wellington, president of Catalyst, based in New York.

Accenture's Great Place to Work for Women initiative was created in 1994 and launched globally in 1999 to foster a culture in which female employees around the world can achieve their individual career aspirations. The strategy employs a variety of innovative global people management processes using metrics to ensure accountability and implementation in every country and region.

Ernst & Young's effort, Promoting Change: Developing & Advancing Women, combines an active career planning and development process with a targeted approach that incorporates flexibility in the culture. The firm's senior leadership and Center for the New Workforce champion these endeavors and progress is reviewed quarterly by the Americas Executive Board.

WellPoint has created the unique Human Resources Planning Program (HRP), in their initiative Harnessing High Potential Talent: A Strategic Approach. Started in 1997 by the senior leadership, HRP provides tools for management employees, working with their supervisors to structure career paths, and develop skills and experiences that work toward achieving their career aspirations.

For additional information about the award, go to www.catalystwomen.org .