FALL 2024:  September 16-18, 2024   Westminster, CO |   SPRING 2025:  April 22-24, 2025   Lost Pines, TX

DEI Impact Awards

Nominations for the 2024 DEI Impact Awards are now open! Submit a nomination before June 21.

Celebrating Organizations that Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) while Powering the Energy Transition

Through Smart Energy Decisions’ DEI Impact Awards, Net Zero Forum Fall will recognize the company-wide efforts of large power users advancing DEI. Award winners are invited to attend #SEDNZF, with representatives from award-winning companies to speak on diversity issues.

Key Dates

  • May 6-June 21: Nominations for 2024 will be accepted.
  • July 1-17: Submissions will be judged by an independent panel.
  • July 22: Winners will be notified.
  • September 18:2024 DEI Impact Awards Presentation, held at the Westin Westminster in Westminster, CO.

Award Categories

  • Project/Initiative: Awarded to an organization that has demonstrated a commitment to DEI with a specific project or initiative related to energy/sustainability. This is awarded to an organization.
  • Team: Awarded to a team that has worked to implement DEI in energy/sustainability efforts at their organization. This is awarded to a team or department at an organization.
  • Mentorship: Awarded to a person who has mentored an individual or group from diverse backgrounds, or to a person who has mentored management on how to introduce and implement DEI principles in an impactful and actionable way to their energy/sustainability department. This may be awarded to an individual or team.
  • Catalyst for Change: Awarded to a person who has led efforts to change the culture of an organization’s energy/sustainability operations in DEI or cultivated DEI principles within these operations. Examples include someone who has created a strategy or program, or has influenced the application of DEI to improve energy/sustainability functions such as policy changes, hiring, supplier choice, and other strategies. This is awarded to an individual.
  • Pay it Forward: Awarded to an organization, team or individual for energy/sustainability DEI efforts impacting communities where they serve or are located. Looking outside of your organization, how have your DEI efforts impacted the larger community? For example, have you started a program or initiative that grows community-wide benefits? This may be awarded to an individual, team or organization.
  • Partnership: Awarded to an organization for DEI strategies or programs in energy/sustainability created and implemented with external partners including utilities, non-profit organizations, associations or foundations.

Eligibility

  • Awards will only be presented to energy customers, including commercial, industrial, institutional (higher education, K-12 and healthcare), and government organizations.
  • Individuals or groups from the energy/sustainability teams within an organization will be presented with the award.
  • A Partnership Award may be presented to the energy customer and DEI program partner, including utility, nonprofit organizations, associations, or foundations.
  • Please note: Industry suppliers are not eligible to win an award, though they can nominate their customers from eligible organizations (commercial, industrial, institutional, and government).
  • While an individual or organization can be nominated in multiple categories, they may only be declared a winner in one category.

Have Questions—Or Want to Get Involved?

Connect with our team by emailing [email protected].

Congratulations 2023 DEI Impact Award Winners

Project/Initiative:

  • Boston Medical Center (BMC) Brockton Behavioral Health Center
  • Energy & Location Strategy, Google
  • UAB Sustainability, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Mentorship:

  • Marianella Franklin, Chief Sustainability Officer, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Team:

  • Sustainability Department, New York City Housing Authority
  • Office of Public Housing Programs, Energy Branch, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Catalyst for Change:

  • Dr. Sarah Porter-Liddell, Dean of Equity and Inclusion, Bard College at Simon’s Rock
  • Emily Schapira, President and CEO, Philadelphia Energy Authority

Pay It Forward:

  • Susanna Webber, Senior Vice President, Global Supplier Management Group and Global Workplace Enterprise Services and Chief Procurement Officer, Merck

Partnership:

  • Danielle Decatur, Director of Environmental Justice, Microsoft
  • Waltasia Mansano, Manager, Clean Energy Jobs Program, PSE&G

One to Watch:

  • Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership, The City College of New York
© Diversified Communications. All rights reserved.