The Greater Des Moines Partnership has named Meredith Corp. the 2020 Inclusion Award winner. The Inclusion Award honors employers that have championed diversity and inclusion in their organizations and within the community. The nominees are evaluated by a selection committee made up of members of the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s Inclusion Council and past honorees. Winners must be members or investors of the Partnership. 

To attract diverse talent, Meredith has enhanced its interview process for new hires to focus on competency-based behavioral questions to reduce the possibility of bias. Meredith conducted a pay parity analysis that was completed at the end of 2019 to identify and correct any inequities affecting women and employees of color, which confirmed that there are no systematic weaknesses or inconsistencies with Meredith’s pay practices. The company has begun unconscious bias training for its leadership team and will also roll out this training to the entire organization. In the wake of the social justice movement and protests following George Floyd’s death, Meredith created a platform for companywide discussions on relevant topics.

“It is an honor to accept this award, and it is especially meaningful in 2020,” said Meredith Corp. President and CEO Tom Harty. “This has been a difficult year on many fronts. We have been challenged like never before to eliminate social injustices, increase the diversity of our organization, and create a more inclusive environment for all of our employees. We still have a lot of work to do, but I am proud that Meredith has taken a deep look at ourselves and our organization and is decisively moving forward. Thank you to the Greater Des Moines Partnership for this meaningful recognition.”

Reaching nearly 95% of all U.S. women, Meredith uses multiple distribution platforms — including digital, video, broadcast television and print — to provide consumers with content and to deliver the messages of its advertising and marketing partners. The Des Moines-based company’s 40-plus brands include People, Better Homes & Gardens, Allrecipes, Shape, InStyle and Food & Wine, and its local television stations cover markets including Atlanta, Phoenix, Portland and Las Vegas.

Meredith was recognized at the Partnership’s annual Inclusion Summit, which was held on Tuesday. A video from the award presentation and more information about the award can be found at this link.