2009 Catalyst Awards Conference—Afternoon Program

1:00–2:45 p.m. Lunch and Keynote Remarks, Andrea Jung, Chairman and CEO, Avon Products, Inc., with Catalyst President & Chief Executive Officer Ilene H. Lang

3:00–4:15 p.m. Afternoon Program
Global economic challenges are prompting many organizations to consider reducing investments in diversity and inclusion. However, now is the time forward-thinking organizations should seize opportunities to develop innovative strategies for attracting, retaining, advancing, and leveraging all employee talent. Catalyst will provide solutions for participants to bring back to their organizations. (Concurrent Sessions.)

Session 1: What You Don’t Know Could Hurt You, But What You Do Could Too: The Unwritten Rules and Working Women’s Double-Bind
“Unwritten rules” are the norms for behavior in work settings that are not clearly laid out and must be discovered by individuals. They can easily present challenges to women—doubly so for women of color—who are often left out of important work relationships with senior leaders, mentors, and coworker networks, and isolate them from paths to advancement. In this interactive session, Catalyst’s lead researcher on women of color and a CEO champion will explore the complexities of unwritten rules, the consequences of following or not following them, and successful practices for achieving more inclusive organizations.

Katherine Giscombe, Ph.D. , Vice President, Women of Color Research, Catalyst
Robert W. Pease, President and CEO, Motiva Enterprises LLC

Session 2: Creating LGBT-Inclusive Workplaces: Policy Isn’t Enough
While gender diversity and workplace inclusion have received much attention, policies, practices, and programs focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employees are lacking. Because women may identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, each LGBT identity group includes women and all LGBT-inclusion efforts enhance gender diversity. In this interactive session, representatives from Out and Equal Workplace Advocates and Catalyst will discuss the benefits of including LGBT employees and the barriers they face. Participants will learn how their organizations can move beyond basic human resources policies to a culture of LGBT inclusion.

Anika Warren, Ph.D., Director, Research, Catalyst
Christine Silva, Senior Associate, Catalyst Canada
Stephen Gould, Associate Director of NETWORKS!, Out & Equal Workplace Advocates

Session 3: Work-Life Effectiveness: Sustaining Employees and Business
In times of economic turbulence, some organizations consider work-life effectiveness (WLE) initiatives a luxury. Yet for organizations with limited resources and tremendous work demands, the stakes—and payoff—of WLE are even greater and more compelling. In this session, Catalyst and participants will share WLE strategies and practices for reducing costs while partnering with employees to develop creative solutions that increase quality, engagement, efficiency, and responsiveness at work and at home so that all talent may excel and businesses will thrive.

Aimee Horowitz, Director, Advisory Services, Catalyst
Sylvia Apostolidis, Director, Member Services, Catalyst Canada
Jennifer Kohler, Associate, Advisory Services, Catalyst

4:15–4:45 p.m. Closing Remarks