Hitachi Honored with 2026 Catalyst Award for Driving Global Workplace Inclusion

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Catalyst Convene New York to feature global inclusion experts and a keynote fireside chat with advocate and astronaut Amanda Nguyen

New York, March 18, 2026 — Hitachi, a Japan-headquartered global leader in digital innovation and sustainable solutions, has been named the winner of this year’s Catalyst Award, the premier recognition of workplace inclusion initiatives. Catalyst the global nonprofit accelerating organizational performance and progress for women, will present the award to Hitachi at Catalyst Convene New York at a luncheon on April 23. The Catalyst Convene New York conference for workplace inclusion leaders will take place from April 22-23 at the North Javits Center in New York City and online for a global audience.  

Through the “Together, We Are Stronger” initiative, Hitachi has driven a more inclusive culture across the organization, by advancing inclusive leadership and strengthening talent practices while addressing long-established cultural norms in Japan. 

Championed by senior leadership, Hitachi’s approach combines global governance with local implementation to accelerate talent opportunities across the company’s diverse markets, while promoting a culture of psychological safety, trust and shared accountability. The initiative focuses on leadership development programs at multiple career stages, transparent talent processes and company‑wide well‑being efforts that support all employees. Together, these efforts demonstrate how inclusion can drive both organizational performance and innovation, positioning Hitachi as a company committed to delivering social and business impact. 

"Hitachi is demonstrating exactly what it looks like to build a workplace that works for women and for everyone,” said Jennifer McCollum, President and CEO of Catalyst. “By normalizing inclusion as both a lived value and a business priority, Hitachi’s Catalyst Award-winning work is transcending regional boundaries to drive progress. As we continue to face challenges to inclusion and women’s advancement, we applaud Hitachi's global leadership."

“Inclusion is how we build strong teams and better ideas at Hitachi. When people have fair opportunity to contribute and grow, innovation follows and drives positive social impact.” said Lorena Dellagiovanna, Senior Vice President and Executive Officer, Chief HR and Chief Sustainability Officer at Hitachi, Ltd. “This Catalyst Award affirms the journey we have taken and reinforces our commitment to keep moving forward.”

Since 1987, the Catalyst Award has recognized 116 initiatives at 103 organizations from around the world. Catalyst Award Winners lead a community of forward-thinking organizations that are developing new ways to advance talent and strengthen their workplace culture.

Catalyst is also honoring two individual corporate programs with the second annual Breakout Program award in recognition of innovative approaches to advance inclusion. This year’s winners are Humana’s “Military-Connected Talent Pathway” and Specialisterne Canada’s “Neurodiversity Workplace Support Coaching Program.” 

At this critical moment, Catalyst’s flagship convening has been transformed to better serve inclusion leaders at all levels. Formerly called the Catalyst Awards Conference, the reimagined Catalyst Convene New York will create opportunities for attendees to share learnings, best practices and actionable solutions during a time of challenge and change for workplace inclusion. Built around focused conference tracks and expanded networking experiences, the event creates more intentional ways for attendees to spark the conversations that will accelerate progress.  

Amanda Nguyen — advocate and astronaut, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, one of 2022’s Time Women of the Year and the first Vietnamese woman to go to space — will keynote this year’s event on April 23. In a conversation with Vanessa Okwuraiwe, Principal at Edward Jones, Nguyen will draw from her groundbreaking work advancing survivor rights globally and her journey at the intersection of science, policy and justice to explore how leaders can advance equity across institutions, industries and society.

Additional sessions for the conference will focus on topics including: 

  • Building Inclusive, Future-Ready Talent Systems —closing skills gaps and driving diverse, resilient talent and leadership pipelines while taking a strategic, long-term approach to inclusion. 
  • Accelerating Women’s Leadership Across Life Stages — addressing unique support needs, including through parenting and menopause, to retain key talent and drive business outcomes.
  • AI, Digital Transformation and Change Readiness — navigating rapid technological change while centering people, trust and culture.

The full Catalyst Convene New York agenda is available at events.catalyst.org. Ticket packages and individual tickets are on sale now. 

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About Catalyst

Catalyst is a global nonprofit that has been the recognized expert at the forefront of women’s advancement and inclusion since the 1960s. Today, Catalyst accelerates organizational performance and women's progress through research-backed insights, high-impact convenings, proven solutions and unparalleled support that fuel organizations to make inclusion a business practice at scale.