Five Dow Leaders Named to “OUTstanding in Business” List
Recognizing Dow’s Leadership and Commitment to Inclusion at all
Levels of the Company
MIDLAND, Mich.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In recognition of their efforts to champion lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) equality in the workplace, five executives and
leaders from The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) were today named to
the “OUTstanding in Business” list published by The Financial Times,
which honors LGBT and ally leaders who actively contribute to an
environment where all employees feel safe, are respected and valued, and
are able to bring their whole selves to work. Only EY had as many
recognitions on this year’s list.
Top 30 Executive Allies
Andrew N. Liveris, chairman and CEO (3)
“The determination to create an inclusive and respectful workplace is in
our DNA at Dow,” said Liveris. “These accolades proudly display Dow’s
core values in action. They demonstrate that we are leading by example
at all levels of our organization, driving a culture – both within Dow
and throughout our communities – that puts every colleague and citizen
on equal footing and enables us to unleash the true power of the human
element at work.”
Ten years ago in Liveris’ first full year as CEO, he led Dow to its
first 100 percent rating on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) corporate
equality index, a distinction he has helped to consistently maintain
every year since. Liveris supports Dow’s global advocacy for LGBT
equality and the Company’s policy push in the U.S. at the state and
federal levels. His leadership of inclusion by example has earned Dow
numerous external awards while inspiring more than half of the Company’s
global leaders to participate in Dow’s LGBT Employee Resource Group
(ERG).
Top 100 LGBT Leaders
Jim Fitterling, vice chairman, Business
Operations (73)
Louis A. Vega, chief of staff and vice
president, Olympics and Sports Solutions (15)
Last year, Fitterling came out to Dow’s 53,000 employees in celebration
of National Coming-Out Day. Ever since, he has led by example among
senior LGBT and ally executives around the world while driving advocacy,
supporting policy progress and implementing a strategy towards LGBT
equality. He passionately mentors LGBT employees, sharing insights and
striving to make a personal difference with each colleague.
Vega leads Dow’s Olympic & Sports Solutions business and manages
strategic initiatives that require high-level collaboration both within
Dow and with other companies, government entities and non-government
organizations around the world. Among Dow’s senior-most “out”
executives, he serves as management sponsor for Dow’s GLAD network and
represents the Company on a White House task force on workplace
equality. He is also on the Board of Directors of the Victory Institute.
Top 30 Future LGBT Leaders
Cory Valente, Ph.D., associate
scientist, Dow Coating Materials (3)
Tlaca Benavides, Latin
America marketing manager (18)
Valente is the global leader for Dow’s LGBT ERG, setting the strategic
priorities of the group, bolstering equitable policies and practices,
and driving culture change throughout the organization while further
enhancing Dow’s reputation. He is a founding member of a Delaware Valley
LGBT Consortium comprised of local and multinational businesses to
leverage best practices for the betterment of the community.
Benavides launched Dow’s LGBT ERG in Latin America and in just over two
years has enabled the launch of three additional chapters in the region.
He recently led an LGBT forum for 65 leading organizations to share best
practices for promoting inclusion. He also led a multilingual employee
and customer campaign against homophobia throughout Latin America, and
implemented a Dow training course for people managers on LGBT
sensitivity. Benavides was recognized earlier this year as one of
FORTUNE Magazine’s “Heroes
of the 500” for his work to drive equality and inclusion in the
workplace and throughout the community.
Leading the Drive for Inclusion and Equality
Dow is a long-time leader in championing a fully inclusive workplace.
The Company offers best-in-class policies and practices for LGBT
colleagues, including equal benefits to same-sex partners for everything
from health, dental and life insurance to bereavement leave, relocation
and dual career assistance. Dow recognizes survivor benefits for LGBT
colleagues under its pension plan and provides transgender benefits.
The Company also takes a leading public policy and advocacy position,
speaking on Capitol Hill in support of LGBT policies and leading state
and federal lobbying activities to bring fairness and equal treatment to
all LGBT citizens, including standing in opposition to recent
discriminatory legislation in Indiana, Louisiana and Texas.
Earlier this month, Dow joined with other major global companies,
including Google Inc., AT&T and The Coca-Cola Company, and others in a business
coalition to push for rights and protections in the workplace
globally, including in countries where LGBT individuals face legal
discrimination or harassment.
This year, Dow was named one of the “Best Places to Work for LGBT
equality” for the tenth consecutive year, again earning a 100 percent
rating on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index. In 2014, Dow was recognized by
Amsterdam-based Workplace Pride Foundation as the second most
gay-friendly company globally.
About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology to
passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company
is driving innovations that extract value from the intersection of
chemical, physical and biological sciences to help address many of the
world’s most challenging problems such as the need for clean water,
clean energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural
productivity. Dow’s integrated, market driven, industry-leading
portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and
plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products
and solutions to customers in approximately 180 countries and in
high-growth sectors such as packaging, electronics, water, coatings and
agriculture. In 2014, Dow had annual sales of more than $58 billion and
employed approximately 53,000 people worldwide. The Company’s more than
6,000 product families are manufactured at 201 sites in 35 countries
across the globe. References to “Dow” or the “Company” mean The Dow
Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise
expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.
®TM Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an
affiliated company of Dow
Contacts
The Dow Chemical Company
Rachelle Schikorra, +1 (989) 638-4090
ryschikorra@dow.com
