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i4cp Honors Mastercard, Patagonia, F5 Networks & Others at the i4cp 2020 Conference

Several organizations and executive received awards for their innovative people practices

Seattle, WA – The Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) recognized several organizations and leaders this week for their outstanding advancements of people practices and workforce initiatives in 2020. The awards were announced during the i4cp 2020 Next Practices Now Virtual Conference. Companies honored include Patagonia, Mastercard, and F5 Networks. Executives recognized for their leadership and exceptional accomplishments represent Lincoln Financial, Verizon, Accenture, and ServiceNow.

Mastercard - High-Performance Award

An i4cp member since 2019, Mastercard continues to look to the future as it considers how digitization affects its employees and the way work happens. The financial services corporation’s share price has also grown by an impressive 278% over the last five years. Michael Fraccaro, Chief HR Officer of Mastercard, accepted the High-Performance Award on behalf of the company.

Patagonia – Revered Culture Award

While Patagonia is renowned for its high-quality outdoor gear and iconic logo-emblazoned sportswear, its best creation may be the company’s culture. The foundation of Patagonia’s is its commitment to purpose, which has earned deep loyalty from its customers and employees alike. For this reason, i4cp presented Dean Carter, head of HR at Patagonia and i4cp 2020 Conference speaker, with the inaugural Revered Culture Award.

F5 Networks - Exchange Member of the Year

F5, a Seattle-based applications services company received the Exchange Member of the Year award in recognition of the active commitment and dedication of its leaders as peer partners. This is made apparent in the active participation of several F5 leaders in i4cp's Exchanges (community-led working groups that help drive i4cp's research agenda and generate practical tools for other members). Mary Fairchild, F5’s Global Director, Diversity & Inclusion, co-chairs i4cp’s Diversity & Inclusion Exchange, while Kate Zimberg, VP of Talent & Organizational Capability, co-chairs the Employee Experience Exchange. Ana White, F5’s head of HR, accepted the award on behalf of the company.

Michael Semo, Lincoln Financial - Board Member of the Year

Michael Semo, VP of HR strategic support services at Lincoln Financial Group, has been an essential member of i4cp’s People Analytics Board for several years. Semo recently shared his expertise by serving as a research advisor, providing strategic insight and direction for i4cp’s HRBP Analytics Toolkit, a resource intended to advance the analytics skillset for HR business partners and other HR professionals.

Christy Pambianchi, Ellyn Shook, Lisa Buckingham, and Pat Wadors – Innovation in HR Award

Four executives were the co-recipients of i4cp’s inaugural Innovation in HR Award, in recognition of breakthrough innovation to the field of Human Resources:

  • Christy Pambianchi, Chief HR Officer, Verizon
  • Ellyn Shook, Chief HR Officer, Accenture
  • Lisa Buckingham, EVP of People, Place & Brand, Lincoln Financial Group
  • Pat Wadors, Chief Talent Officer, ServiceNow

Within days of mass layoffs occurring around the globe as a result of what was then the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic, these four leaders collaborated across organizational boundaries to develop People + Work Connect, a free, online employer-to-employer platform that enables organizations to quickly identify and fill jobs in locations where there is need. All four shared what they learned from the experience of building the platform, and what they see yet to come, at i4cp’s conference. 

More awards will be presented throughout the week at i4cp’s annual Next Practices Now conference – please follow i4cp on Twitter (@i4cp) or LinkedIn for real-time updates.