2019 Women of Innovation Awards honor the medical device leader for promoting diversity in STEM
EAST HARTFORD—The Inspiring STEM Equitability Award was awarded to Medtronic by the Connecticut Technology Council (CTC) at the 15th Annual Women of Innovation Awards (WOI) on March 27. This award recognizes an organization for its commitment to policies and programs designed to advance representation, inclusion, diversity, and equitability within the STEM fields.
“Medtronic exceeded the Connecticut Technology Council’s expectations for this new award we added to the Women of Innovation program this year,” says Taylor Van Antwerp, Manager of Talent and Workforce Programs at CTC and organizer of WOI. “The breadth and reach of the programs Medtronic has in place for women and all employees—ranging from employee resource groups and professional development opportunities, to an innovative parental leave policy and internship programs—is truly remarkable and I’m so glad that this award can recognize these achievements.”
The medical technology manufacturer, which has roots in Connecticut dating back more than 60 years, has set a goal of 40 percent of its leadership to be women by 2020 (currently at 38 percent). They support young women and girls with summer intern programs for freshmen and sophomore female college students to solidify STEM career paths, sponsoring robotics teams, and other initiatives that extend throughout the company and beyond. Thomson Reuters ranked Medtronic #3 on their top 100 Diversity & Inclusive Companies Index. Medtronic (www.medtronic.com) is among the world’s largest medical technology, services and solutions companies – alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world.
One example of many for which Medtronic is being recognized is their programs that support expectant and new mothers. Medtronic encourages simultaneous career and family growth, with wide, easy access parking spaces for expectant mothers, a guide to planning for maternity leave, and Medtronic onesies for all new parents to celebrate his or her new child. Additionally, there’s an informal support network for new moms, lactation rooms in all campus buildings for mothers, and work-from-home options when possible. “These seemingly small improvements made for young mothers have eased the sometimes-intense stress and emotion of new motherhood,” says one mother R&D employee.
“I’m so proud to work at a company that is not just a leader in its field, but also a leader in building and running a business inclusively,” says Kari Mull, co-chair the local Medtronic Women’s Network (MWN). “Our commitment to equitability runs throughout our organization, and we’re honored to be recognized by the Women of Innovation program, whose mission we fully support.”
Medtronic was honored at the Women of Innovation Awards dinner in Plantsville on March 27, in addition to 51 Women of Innovation finalists in 11 categories. The individual winners (including an individual Inspiring STEM Equitability Award winner) were also announced at the event.
About Connecticut Technology Council
Celebrating its 25th year of operation in 2019, the Connecticut Technology Council is a statewide association of technology-oriented companies and institutions, providing leadership in areas of policy advocacy, community building, and support for growing companies. The mission of the Connecticut Technology Council is to spark innovation, cultivate tech talent, foster business growth, advocate for industry-beneficial law and policy, expand the scope of industry networking and professional development, and celebrate industry achievements in the state. The CTC seeks to serve Connecticut’s technology ecosystem by providing leadership, support, mentoring, and advocacy to companies across every industry and at every stage of growth.