Goldcorp Receives YWCA Women of Distinction Award

Jun 3, 2015 1:00 PM ET

Above Ground

Goldcorp is proud to announce it has been awarded the YWCA Metro Vancouver Women of Distinction Award in the Outstanding Workplace category.

The YWCA Women of Distinction Awards honours individuals and organizations whose outstanding activities and achievements contribute to the well-being and future of our community, and also honours businesses and organizations that support the wellness and diverse needs of their employees.

"We are extremely proud to be the recipient of this YWCA Metro Vancouver Women of Distinction Award. One of our key values is empowering others, which is also well-aligned with the YWCA’s work in the community, so it’s very gratifying to see those efforts recognized,” said Chuck Jeannes, President and CEO of Goldcorp. “We will continue supporting programs for professional development, safety, health and wellness and community engagement that make our workplace and our communities stronger and more vibrant.”

More than 1,200 guests and volunteers gathered on May 26 at the Vancouver Convention Centre to honour inspiring women and their achievements.

The event raised over $176,000 for YWCA Metro Vancouver and all funds raised will be used to provide a range of integrated services for women and their families, and those seeking to improve the quality of their lives. The YWCA provides early learning and care, housing, health and fitness, employment services and leadership.

Criteria for the Outstanding Workplace category included supporting and responding to the diverse needs of employees, and encouraging them to balance the demands and rewards of career, family, community and personal growth. Goldcorp was also recognized for acknowledging the additional challenges that its female employees may face and proactively supporting the success and advancement of women in its workplace.

In a written statement announcing the award, judges noted that Goldcorp treats its people as its greatest asset. “With a vision to build positive social, environmental and economic legacies, Goldcorp creates careers, supports community development and contributes to employee wellness. This vision is supported by programs tailored to employees to achieve professional development, wellness and community engagement – all while keeping employee safety paramount. The company promotes family-friendly policies such as family responsibility leave and programs that foster overall mental and physical health. Goldcorp has shown leadership and commitment to develop and advance women by launching Creating Choices, a training and mentoring program created by women for women at Goldcorp. It is the first global mining company to launch a women’s program, which, since 2010, has graduated more than 1,200 participants.”

Joanne Klein, Vice President of People at Goldcorp accepted the award on the company’s behalf. “At Goldcorp, we believe that an outstanding workplace is only possible when employees truly have a seat at the table, with input into issues that are most important to our workforce. For our employees, those issues tend to align with our key values – Safety, Health and Wellness; Acting Ethically; Respecting All Our Stakeholders; Open Communication; Innovation and Empowering Others.”

“We have been focused on is ensuring that we create a workplace that is diverse, inclusive and respectful of women who have traditionally been under represented in the mining industry. It is humbling and truly gratifying to see those efforts acknowledged with this award this evening.”