Past Winners of the Award for Workplace Equality Innovation
2010 Award
On March 17, Credit Suisse and Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants received the second annual HRC Innovation Award for Workplace Equality:
- Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants received the award for its pioneering benefits programs, including transgender-inclusive, fully-insured employee health plans and grossing up employees' income to offset taxes from domestic partner benefits.
- Credit Suisse was recognized for its recruitment program targeting LGBT MBA students.
2009 Award
In the first year of the Innovation Award, HRC received 17 nominations. Applications were reviewed by an independent panel of nationally recognized experts from business and leading advocacy and academic institutions, including diversity pioneer Ted Childs; former HRC President Elizabeth Birch; transgender advocate and HRC Business Council member Meghan Stabler; Barbara Brown, an attorney at Paul Hastings; Walter Schubert, the first openly gay member of the NY stock exchange; and Chris Crespo with Ernst & Young. Programs were evaluated on innovative, creative problem-solving approaches, measurability of results and replicability.
On March 25, Boeing Co. and law firm Kirkland & Ellis received the first annual HRC Innovation Award for Workplace Equality:
- Boeing Co. was recognized for its groundbreaking transgender inclusion program – a firm-wide initiative that employs specialized human resources personnel to ensure that people can transition safely on the job.
- Kirkland & Ellis LLP received the award for a unique recruitment effort that pairs LGBT law students with partners and associates to create a sense of community between the students and the firm.