sanofi-aventis wins Healthcare Businesswomen's Association ACE Award for Corporate Programs Advancing Women's Careers

Annual award recognizes efforts to strengthen the 'Advancement, Commitment and Engagement' of women's careers in healthcare industry

FAIRFIELD, N.J., Sept. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA) has named sanofi-aventis US as the winner of the 2010 HBA ACE Award for the company's program aimed at building women's leadership across all levels within the company.    

The sanofi-aventis US program, WISE (Women Inspiring Sanofi-aventis Excellence), is an internal women's network with over 1000 members that fosters the personal and professional leadership development of women working for the company. WISE-sponsored programs target a wide audience across different functions, locations, genders and levels within the company.

sanofi-aventis US learned from HBA's E.D.G.E. (Empowerment, Diversity, Growth, Excellence) Leadership study conducted in 2007 and directly linked them to the WISE Program: raising awareness about career advancement across the company; providing educational opportunities to develop skills; fostering mentoring and networking relationships; and leveraging internal and external resources for relevant skills building.

HBA, the largest women's healthcare organization dedicated to advancing the role and impact of women worldwide, created the ACE Award in 2007 to recognize corporations' efforts to strengthen the "Advancement, Commitment and Engagement" of women's careers in the healthcare industry. The ACE Award is unique in its recognition of a company's dedication to the recruitment, retention and advancement of women to senior roles within their respective organization, as evidenced through a dedicated employee program.

Presentation of the ACE Award to sanofi-aventis will be made on October 28, 2010, at the HBA's 2010 Leadership Conference in Philadelphia, PA. The results of the E.D.G.E. study helped identify three key business success pillars - employee engagement, mentorship and leadership skills development - necessary to provide the foundation for the advancement of women in the healthcare industry. "WISE is a high-touch, high-demand women's network that fosters the engagement and leadership development of sanofi-aventis women, ultimately contributing to the greater success of the individual and the organization," said Judy O'Hagan, vice president of human resources at sanofi-aventis US. "The strategic focus of WISE is to enhance key business projects through the active support of personal and professional development of women in our company. By connecting people across the organization and providing them with these resources and best practices, the WISE Program has driven greater commitment and leadership behaviors in a challenging business environment."

"The WISE Program clearly demonstrates sanofi-aventis' commitment to fostering the personal and professional leadership development of sanofi-aventis US women, which will have a direct impact on leadership in the healthcare industry overall," said HBA President Susan Torroella.  "We are proud that the ACE Award is recognizing this effort."

The ACE Award winner was selected via a rigorous and independent screening process.  A panel of industry leaders, academics and accomplished healthcare executives judged entrants against five criteria: measurable results and impact on target population; degree to which it supports the overall business; stewardship, or depth of commitment to the program; effectiveness of the execution; and built-in sustainability. Judges for the ACE Award were Lynn M. Gaudioso, president, Ivanhoe Strategies LLC and 1996 HBA Woman of the Year; Mary S. Hartman, PhD., university professor and institute director, Institute for Women's Leadership, Rutgers University; Tamar Howson, partner at JSP Partners and 1999 HBA Woman of the Year; William S. Sheldon, former president and COO of Eisai Inc., current member, board of trustees, Lakeland College, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and the HBA's first Honorable Mentor; and Shelia Wellington, clinical professor of management and organizations at NYU Leonard N. Stevens School of Business.

"This award truly recognizes those companies who are most committed to the engagement and advancement of women in our industry," said Laurie Cooke, HBA chief executive officer. "As important, all of the companies who submitted award entries receive feedback from industry experts that can enhance their current women's leadership initiatives and support strategic direction for the company's career development programs for women."

The ACE Award builds on the HBA's leadership role in recognizing women in the healthcare industry and creating high-profile role models. The HBA Woman of the Year Award, which recognizes an outstanding woman in the industry, is presented each May at a luncheon in New York City attended by more than 2,000 industry executives. Also honored at the Woman of the Year event are an Honorable Mentor, a male industry leader who supports the HBA mission; the HBA Star Volunteer of the Year and Rising Stars, high-potential women leaders at HBA Corporate Partners.

About the HBA: The Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA) is in its fourth decade as a global not-for-profit organization dedicated to furthering the advancement of women in healthcare worldwide. With 15 chapters and affiliates throughout the US and in Europe, the HBA is headquartered in New Jersey with offices in Philadelphia and Research Triangle Park. The HBA provides educational opportunities for women and men to develop cutting-edge healthcare industry knowledge and leadership skills; recognizes outstanding women and men in the industry; provides opportunities for networking; creates greater visibility for women in the industry; fosters mentoring relationships and serves as a conduit and sponsor for research on career advancement issues. HBA has nearly 6,000 individual members and 120 Corporate Partners. It is widely recognized as the catalyst for leadership development of women in healthcare worldwide.

SOURCE Healthcare Businesswomen's Association