NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America today demonstrated its ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion by announcing a new award: the 2019 Big Apple Leadership in Diversity Award.
It will honor exceptional companies and public relations agencies that are leading innovative initiatives that foster diversity in the workplace and champion underrepresented groups and their advancement across the full spectrum of private enterprise. The competition has four categories: firms with $100m or more in annual revenue, firms with less than $100m in annual revenue, corporations with $100m or more in annual revenue, and corporations with less than $100m in annual revenue.
The judges include a diverse panel of accomplished and respected leaders who have made noteworthy contributions to the communications industry, including such contributions in the diversity and inclusion space. They include:
- Bill Doescher, President & CEO, Doescher Group LTD
- Judith Harrison, Senior Vice President, Diversity & Inclusion, Weber Shandwick
- Helen Shelton, Senior Partner, Finn Partners
- Patrice Tanaka, Chief Joy Officer, Joyful Planet LLC
- Dr. Ronald A. Milon, Chief Diversity Officer, Fashion Institute of Technology
- Torrence S. Traynham, PRC, University Relations Associate, Marsh & McLennan Companies
The panel is chaired by Sharon Fenster, Immediate Past-President, PRSA-NY, and Troy Blackwell, Big Apple Senior Director. It will consider the breadth and depth of employee diversity, recruitment, retention and promotion. Submissions may include examples of initiatives, partnerships, case studies, and third-party endorsements.
“A recent study from McKinsey provides clear evidence that diverse and inclusive companies outperform those that are not, to the tune of 35 percent. While the communications industry has made improvements in this area in recent years, there is still a great opportunity for further progress. We look forward to recognizing those companies and agencies that are committed to leading on these important values,” said Leslie Gottlieb, PRSA-NY President.
The award will be announced during the 2019 Big Apple Awards on June 24th in New York City. Tickets to the ceremony can be purchased here.
About the Big Apple Awards and PRSA-NY
PRSA-NY established the Big Apple Awards in 1987 to celebrate excellence in public relations. Widely regarded as one of the industry’s most prestigious accolades, the Big Apple Awards honor innovative and strategic PR campaigns and projects.
The New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America is one of the oldest, largest, and most prominent public relations Chapters in the country. Located in the media capital of the world, it offers top-level professional development, networking, mentoring, and awards. PRSA-NY serves communications professionals in agencies, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government, as well as independent practitioners.
