2021 Diversity Impact Award Recipients

Greensboro, NC (September 17, 2021) —The Global ERG Network (previously the Association of ERGs & Councils, a practice group of Talent Dimensions) recognized the outstanding achievements of Employee Resource Groups, Diversity Councils and other DE&I initiatives at the 2021 Diversity Impact Awards™ ceremonies preceding USC Marshall Center for Effective Organizations 2021 ERG Leadership Summit.

“Even after making the difficult decision to once again make our annual conference a virtual event only, we are so honored to recognize and support the critical efforts of Diversity Councils, ERGs, BRGs and more.  These groups have navigated both the COVID-19 pandemic and all the challenges the world has faced in the last year,” said Lynn Cowart, Principle and Chief Operations Officer of Talent Dimensions. Through four live-streamed ceremonies leaders from the Top 25 Employee Resource Groups, Top 10 Enterprise-Wide ERGs, Top 10 Diversity Action Groups and the Executive Sponsors of the Year were presented with their honors.

The Diversity Impact Awards™ were launched in 2020 as the next iteration of the ERG & Council Honors Award™. The ERG & Council Honors Award™ was the first and longest running, nationally recognized award to honor the contributions and achievements of ERGs, BRGs and Diversity Councils. It was established in 2008 by the Association of ERGs & Councils, (now the Global ERG Network) a practice group of diversity and inclusion consulting and training firm PRISM International, Inc., a subsidiary of Talent Dimensions.

“We were inspired by the initiatives outlined in the many applications we received this year. They were all exceptional, but this incredible group really did stand out for their sacrifices and level of dedication to keeping people connected during the most trying of times,” offers Cile Johnson, Principle and Chief Business Officer of Talent Dimensions.

The 2021 Diversity Impact Awards™ leverages a data driven and scientifically validated model (The Impact Model™) developed by Dr. Theresa Welbourne, Senior Affiliate Research Scientist at the USC Marshall School of Business Center for Effective Organizations and CEO of eePulse, to ensure buy-in from key stakeholders and provide an expanded opportunity for learning. When organizations participate year-over-year in the Diversity Impact Awards, the data provides them a benchmark among competing organizations and the ability to chart or measure their own progress over time.

Thank you to our partners at USC Marshall School Centers for Effective Organizations (CEO) for their continued assistance in helping facilitate these important honors through the midst of COVID-19 and its unexpected difficulties.

We are both pleased and honored to announce the winners of and the rankings for the 2021 Diversity Impact Awards™.  Congratulations!

The 2021 Diversity Impact Awards™ Top 25 ERG Award recipients in ranking order:

  1. Novant Health – Women’s BRG
  2. United States Tennis Association – Women’s Business Resource Group
  3. Northwestern Mutual – Asian ERG
  4. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – Generations with Genius
  5. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – Diversity and Professional Advancement Working Group
  6. Northwestern Mutual – disABILITY Alliance ERG
  7. Novant Health – Persons with Abilities BRG
  8. Erie Insurance – Dignity & Respect Affinity Network
  9. US Foods – Black Resource Utilization Hub
  10. Banner Health – Women @ Banner
  11. Northwestern Mutual – Hispanic ERG
  12. Northwestern Mutual – Women’s ERG
  13. Perdue Farms – GAIN
  14. Northern Trust – Women in Leadership Business Resource Council
  15. Novant Health – Black/African American BRG
  16. Northwestern Mutual – Military & Veterans (MV)-ERG
  17. Northwestern Mutual – Generations ERG
  18. Nationwide – National Latino Alliance
  19. Northwestern Mutual – African-American Employee Resource Group
  20. BJC HealthCare – Diverse Nurses Connection Group
  21. NextEra Energy, Inc. – African American Professional Employee Group
  22. UPS – African American BRG, Corporate Chapter
  23. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center – Organization for Women ERG
  24. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – NOAA’s ADAPT (Accommodating Differently Abled People Team)
  25. Erie Insurance – African American Affinity Network
  26. Northwell Health – Bridges BERG
  27. Novant Health – Veterans BRG
  28. Bank of America – Hispanic/Latino Organization for Leadership & Advancement (HOLA)
  29. State Street – State Street Latin American Professionals Group (LAPG)

The 2021 Diversity Impact Awards™ Top 10 Enterprise-Wide ERG Award recipients in ranking order:

  1. Banner Health – Banner Health
  2. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre – University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
  3. Bank of America – Bank of America
  4. Kohl’s – Kohl’s Business Resource Groups
  5. Premier Inc. – CDEIB ERG Network
  6. Mount Sinai Health System – Mount Sinai Morningside Diversity Council
  7. Northern Trust – North America Business Resource Councils
  8. Ricoh USA, Inc – Ricoh Corp D, I & E Council – Multicultural & Inclusion Calendar
  9. Barilla – Barilla America’s ERGs
  10. ChristianaCare – ChristianaCare ERGs

The 2021 Diversity Impact Awards™ Top 10 Diversity Action Award recipients in ranking order:

  1. Kairos Power – Diversity and Inclusion Committee – Creating a More Inclusive Workplace
  2. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana – DE&I Training
  3. Davenport University – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council – Student of Color Retention Subcommittee – ‘Improving Retention’ Analysis and Recommendation Report
  4. Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin – Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin Diversity Council – Rapid Response to the Triple Crisis (pandemic, economic and community unrest)
  5. Mount Sinai Beth Israel – MSBI Downtown Diversity Council – MSBI LINC Mentorship Program
  6. ChristianaCare – ChristianaCare – Leading with Love
  7. Phillip Morris International – HBCU Partnership – HBCU Internship Program
  8. Ricoh USA, INC. – Ricoh Regional Diversity Business Resource Councils – Regional Councils – Community Support
  9. Novant Health, Inc. – Novant Health, Inc. – Language Access During COVID-19
  10. Banner Health – Banner Health – The Power of Belonging Series
  11. Tennessee Valley Authority – Human Resources & Communications – Inclusion with Diversity

The 2021 Diversity Impact Awards™ Executive Sponsor of the Year recipients

  1. Erie Insurance – Fred Johnson, Vice President & Branch Manager
  2. Novant Health – Melissa Parker, Senior Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer
  3. Premier, Inc. – Allison Golding, Vice President Employee Well Being and HR Operations
  4. UPS – Juan Perez, Chief Information and Engineering Officer
  5. US Foods – Dirk Locascio, Chief Financial Officer

About the Diversity Impact Awards™
The Diversity Impact Awards™ were launched in 2020 as the next iteration of the ERG & Council Honors Award™.  The ERG & Council Honors Award™ was the first and longest running, nationally recognized award to honor the outstanding contributions and achievements of ERGs, BRGs and Diversity Councils. It was established in 2008 by the Association of ERGs & Councils, (now the Global ERG Network) a practice group of diversity and inclusion consulting and training firm PRISM International, Inc., a subsidiary of Talent Dimensions.

About the ERG & Council Conference™
ERGs and Diversity Councils are vital links for improving organizational results. However, to remain impactful and effective, they need opportunities to increase their skills and knowledge, to learn, share best practices, opportunities to network, celebrate and grow. This was the purpose of the first annual conference designed specifically for ERGs, BRGs and Diversity Councils.

About the Global ERG Network
The Global ERG Network is a practice group of Talent Dimensions, and the premier resource for transforming Employee Resource Groups, Diversity Councils and Employee Network Groups to impact key organizational and business objectives.

About PRISM International, Inc.
PRISM, a Talent Dimensions company, is a full-service provider of innovative and proven consulting, training and products for leveraging diversity and inclusion, addressing unconscious bias, increasing cross-cultural competencies and creating more effective ERGs and Diversity Councils.

About USC Marshall School of Business Center for Effective Organizations
Since its founding over 40 years ago, the Center for Effective Organizations (CEO), a research center in the USC Marshall School of Business, is world-renowned for its breakthrough research and insights on organizational performance, effectiveness and talent management. Today, CEO is at the forefront, discovering and creating the latest knowledge in the design and management of organizations for companies that range from mid-sized to the Global 500. CEO’s worldwide network includes research scientists, faculty experts, best-selling authors and corporate partners. Working together, they provide forward-thinking leaders with trusted insights and the hands-on learning they need to help them solve complex problems and build highly effective, sustainable organizations.