Baton Rouge, LA (August 19, 2022) – The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) yesterday announced the winners of its Diversity Star Award at its inaugural Economic Inclusion Symposium presented by DOW. Bear Process Safety received the award for the small business category, and AT&T received the award for the large business category.
BRAC created the Diversity Star Award with the goal of highlighting exceptional business practices taking place in the Capital Region that leverage the value of diversity in organizations. The award seeks to honor and recognize regional businesses that have championed diversity and inclusion at their businesses or in the community.
“With greater competition this year than ever before, it’s encouraging to see so many local businesses not only striving to be a more diverse and inclusive workplace but really taking action and having an impact. More members of our business community in the Capital Region are celebrating our differences and understanding how those differences add value,” said Jerry Lebold, chair of BRAC’s Diversity and Inclusion Council and BASF’s senior vice president and general manager. “Join me in recognizing AT&T and Bear Process Safety for their outstanding commitment and demonstration of diversity and inclusion efforts that are truly making an impact.”
Bear Process Safety was selected for its dedication to recruiting, hiring and developing a diverse group of individuals in terms of gender, race, age, sexual orientation, culture and nationality. Specific practices include its purchasing practices, percentage of diverse employees in decision-making positions, and their commitment to community engagement with various organizations.
“We are honored to receive the Diversity Star award for small business. This not only speaks to the culture we sought to create in the initial vision of the company, but it is a testament to the continued support of this vision by our employees,” said Adam Beary, president & CEO of Bear Process Safety. “We hire for a diverse culture, but more importantly our team has bought in to fully learning from each other and offering their own experiences in working together. This is crucial to the continual positive change in our community, and I could not be prouder that Bear Process Safety is at the forefront.”
AT&T was selected for its exceptional diversity, equity and inclusion practices within the company and the community. Specific practices include its diverse leadership structure, recruitment strategies, employee-led resource groups such as AT&T Veterans Employee Group amongst others, and its dedication to community engagement such as deploying fiber in North Baton Rouge, Baker and other underserved areas in the region and supporting various organizations within the Baton Rouge Area.
“On behalf of the more than 3,300 AT&T employees who call Louisiana home, it is an honor to receive this recognition,” said Sonia Perez, AT&T President Southeast States. “At AT&T, we believe diversity & inclusion are business & moral imperatives. By actively bringing together diverse views, backgrounds, cultures & talents, we work to foster an inclusive environment where employees feel valued, respected & empowered to bring their ideas & help drive innovation.”
Learn more about BRAC’s diversity and inclusion initiatives at brac.org/diversity.
About the Baton Rouge Area Chamber
The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) is an aggressively ambitious regional economic development organization with a bias for action. BRAC seeks to push Baton Rouge beyond the status quo, unleash its potential, and support a vibrant business community that believes the finish line does not exist. BRAC seeks to accelerate economic opportunity in the Baton Rouge Area, for everyone, through BRING IT! Baton Rouge, its five-year, regional strategic plan. Learn more about BRAC at brac.org.
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