June 21, 2022

In partnership with the Mayor’s Office and the Greater Boston business community, the Boston Women’s Workforce Council (BWWC) today announced this year’s Innovative Initiatives Awards recipients at our Q2 briefing session for Compact Signers. This program recognizes initiatives implemented by employers to close gender and racial wage gaps.

Highlights from today’s event featured remarks from our Co-Chairs, Cathy Minehan and Evelyn Murphy. Following the award ceremony, a moderated panel discussion led by Boston Globe reporter Katie Johnston explored how Innovative Initiatives winners’ respective programs succeeded in overcoming the barriers that affect fair advancement. The speakers included C Space Vice President, Global People, Elisabeth Bucknall, MASCO President & CEO David Sweeney, Vertex Vice President, Community Affairs, Eustacia MacNaught, and, representing one of last year’s winners, Dr. Miriam Bredella, Vice Chair of the Department of Radiology at Mass General Hospital. 

This year’s honorees are:

C Space - “Using Data to Drive Action”

C Space recognized the need for a stronger focus on DEI and sought opportunities to ensure that promotion and increased salary were available to all employees, as well as establishing talent planning for BIPOC colleagues to support their career progression. Because of these efforts, BIPOC representation in senior management grew by 17%.

MASCO - “New leadership ignites a radical shift in DEI awareness and initiatives”

Championed by President & CEO David Sweeney, the company centered its human resource policy-making on diversity, inclusion, and equity, ultimately benefiting all employees.  Among the multitude of initiatives, MASCO continued providing sustained reliable access to onsite childcare during the height of the pandemic, recommitted to reviewing individual compensation on a regular schedule to ensure market rates are paid to all employees, and is currently assessing job postings locations to ensure diverse candidate pools, to name just a few. The collective result of these efforts has led to creating a workplace that moves toward reflecting the community around them. 

Vertex Pharmaceuticals - “Diversifying the Biotech Talent Pool”

Vertex saw an opportunity to partner with Year Up, a Boston-based organization committed to closing the gap in opportunities for young adults in underserved communities. Together with Year Up, Vertex developed a specific curriculum aimed at young adults with low to moderate income and a high school education. The first cohort was made up of 80% women and 90% from racially/ethnically diverse backgrounds. Even more impressive was the 100% graduation rate from the program and 80% of program participants went on to full time employment with Vertex. 

Congratulations to our winners and a heartfelt thank you to all of this year’s applicants.