Valassis Recognized by Advertising Federation for Workforce Diversity
LIVONIA, MI—August 23, 2012—Valassis, one of the nation’s leading media and marketing services companies, has been recognized for the third time by the American Advertising Federation (AAF) with a Mosaic Award for its Workforce Diversity program, “ECHO: Driving Success and Inspiring Cultural Change.”
Through ECHO, the company is committed to creating a culture where an increasingly multicultural associate population is welcomed, supported and encouraged to reach its full potential. The program’s mission is to:
- Drive success and inspire cultural change;
- Achieve a workplace where every associate feels included, valued and respected;
- Provide an environment that is diverse in thought, experience, people and action; and
- Enhance relationships with co-workers, customers, suppliers and the community through greater understanding and appreciation of differences.
“We recognize and value different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds in our everyday decisions and actions as we embrace diversity and inclusion in all we do,” said Rob Mason, Valassis president and CEO. “Through greater understanding and appreciation of our differences, we continue to build a stronger community as well as a more vibrant and sustainable community.”
The AAF Mosaic Awards celebrate companies that have demonstrated the success of their multicultural marketing and diversity efforts within the advertising industry. The Workforce Diversity category recognizes companies that demonstrate a strong effort to recruit, retain and promote employees from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds and develop programs that enhance employee sensitivity, knowledge and understanding of the various ethnicities and cultures within the corporate environment.
Valassis also was recognized with Mosaic Awards in 2009 and 2006.
“Valassis takes tremendous pride in being a workplace where every associate feels included, valued and respected,” said Todd Wiseley, Valassis general counsel and executive vice president of administration. “It’s an honor to be recognized by the AAF, the premier voice of the advertising and marketing industry. We believe diversity and inclusion are business imperatives as well as ethical and social responsibilities that are grounded in our culture.”
ECHO is focused on creating more inclusive organizational structures and policies; educating and developing leaders and associates; investing in community outreach; and researching and developing communication avenues. In 2011, Valassis established a committee of senior leaders who are responsible for setting actionable and measurable goals.
As part of this initiative, Valassis also established its first Business Resource Group (BRG), the Valassis Women’s Network, to foster women’s professional development, connectivity and outreach within Valassis. Since its inception, the BRG has gained more than 300 members and continues to grow. In addition, Valassis expanded its Mentoring Program and established a Talent Steering Committee.
Mosaic Award recipients will be honored at the 2012 Diversity Achievement and Mosaic Awards & Forum in October at The Hilton New York. The Mosaic Awards are held in conjunction with AAF’s District Two Diversity Achievement Awards during Advertising Week in New York.
About Valassis
Valassis is one of the nation’s leading media and marketing services companies, offering unparalleled reach and scale to more than 15,000 advertisers. Its RedPlum® media portfolio delivers value on a weekly basis to over 100 million shoppers across a multi-media platform – in-home, in-store and in-motion. Through its digital offerings, including redplum.com and save.com, consumers can find compelling national and local deals. Headquartered in Livonia, Michigan with approximately 7,000 associates in 28 states and eight countries, Valassis is widely recognized for its associate and corporate citizenship programs, including its America’s Looking for Its Missing Children program. Valassis companies include Valassis Direct Mail, Inc., Valassis Canada, Promotion Watch, Valassis Relationship Marketing Systems, LLC, NCH Marketing Services, Inc. and Brand.net.
Source: Valassis.
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