USCIB member Google received the Department of State’s prestigious Award for Corporate Excellence (“ACE Award”) in the Women’s Economic Security category for the outstanding work Google of Poland (“Google Polska”) in promoting Women entrepreneurship, including among Ukrainian women refugees. Google was the only large U.S. multinational to win an ACE Award this year; the other four winners are small or medium U.S. enterprises operating in Africa. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosted the annual award ceremony at the State Department on October 30.
Google’s win this year marks the 25th ACE Award win by a USCIB member company in the 24 years the Awards have been presented. Google Polska was recognized for setting the standard in promoting gender equality in the Polish and Central European workplace and supporting women in tech initiatives in Poland, Ukraine and the region. Women fill the large majority of senior leadership posts in Google’s very impressive Polish operations.
According to USCIB Senior Advisor Shaun Donnelly, who attended the award ceremony, Google Polska’s Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy for Central Europe Marta Poslad accepted the award on behalf of the Google team and delivered very heart-felt remarks. Google’s Head of Global Government Affairs and Public Policy Karan Bhatia represented Google corporate leadership. U.S. Ambassador to Poland Mark Brezinski, who had originally nominated Google Polska for the award, flew home from Warsaw to be at the ceremony and to present the award to Google.
Whitney Baird, USCIB’s new president and CEO, and previously a long-time senior State Department senior official, was one of the invited guests at the annual ceremony.
“I’ve worked behind the scenes on the ACE award ceremony and selection process for many years,” said Baird. “It’s always been a great event, but I enjoyed seeing it this year from a private sector perspective. I was delighted to see a great USCIB member company among the winners again this year. Google in Poland is a prime example of the critical work USCIB member companies are doing around the world, representing and nurturing American values, promoting innovation and economic growth, and showing how businesses—large and small—can be responsible citizens that can do good while doing well.”
USCIB was the only major U.S. trade association represented at the ACE Awards ceremony this year.
“We have worked over the years to support the State Department team organizing the program, the nomination and selection process and to bring more attention to this great program,” said Donnelly.
