Pillar Awards Application Form

The Pillar Award: Celebrating Excellence in Empowering Women at Work

Since 1987, the Women’s Resource Center has proudly presented the Pillar Award to recognize West Michigan employers who have implemented best practices that empower women in the workplace. This prestigious award highlights the noteworthy efforts of local employers who serve as pillars of support for working women.

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Purpose of the Award

The Pillar Award is West Michigan’s only prestigious business award that showcases West Michigan employers who empower women at work through progressive and inclusive practices.  Women's Resource Center created this award to showcase the innovative "best practices" of area employers, including small businesses, and encourage replication of existing policies and practices that improve recruitment, retention, and advancement of working women within an inclusive culture. Local employers are encouraged to apply for this award if they engage in progressive practices such as:
- Work/Life practices
- Mentoring & Networking Initiatives
- Progressive and Comprehensive benefits
- Nontraditional Careers for Women
- Professional Development/Advancement programs
- Creating opportunities for disadvantaged women to enter the workplace
- Hiring & Retention practices that support all forms of diversity in employees
Notable Past Winners

Over the years, the Pillar Award has recognized several outstanding employers, including:
- Steelcase Inc.: Honored for their comprehensive benefits and professional development programs that support women at all levels of the organization.
- Spectrum Health: Recognized for their innovative work/life balance initiatives and commitment to diversity in hiring practices.
- Herman Miller: Celebrated for their mentoring and networking initiatives that have significantly advanced women in nontraditional careers.
These organizations have set a high standard for empowering women in the workplace, and their efforts serve as an inspiration for others.

Award Application Process
- Application opens on December 6, 2024
- Completed applications are due to Women's Resource Center by January 15, 2025, at 10pm
- Finalists will be notified by January 29, 2025
- Finalists will be scheduled for a 30-minute interview with the Selection Committee.
Award Eligibility Criteria
1. Organization must currently employ at least 2 full time employees.
2. Organization (headquarters or branch) is located in Kent, Allegan, Muskegon or Ottawa counties and could either have a physical location (brick & mortar) or be an online/ digital business.
3. Employer has successfully implemented initiatives/policies/practices that empower women at work (visit www.grwrc.org for examples)
4. Organization demonstrates a commitment to workforce diversity and representation of all women regardless of socio-economic status, race, age, disability or ethnic/ cultural identity.
5. Previous award recipients may re-apply if highlighting new initiatives or policies.
6. Corporate, small business, nonprofit and government sector applicants are encouraged to apply.
The Pillar Award 2025 recipients will be publicly honored in front of business and community leaders at the 35th Annual Pillar Award luncheon on March 13, 2025. If you are an employer that empowers women in the workplace, we want you to get the recognition you deserve. Employees of worthy organizations or small businesses can also nominate their employers for the award.

Important Dates & Application Timeline:
- Application Opens: December 06, 2024
- Application Closes: January 15, 2025
- Winners Notified: January 29, 2025
- Pillar Awards Celebration: March 13th, 2025
More information on the 2025 Pillar Award is available at grwrc.org/events. For application questions or sponsorship opportunities, contact Mirabel Fonyuy at 616-458-5443 ext. 130 or [email protected].

Sponsorship opportunities are available.

Be a Pillar for Working Women.

Gain Recognition as an Employer of Choice.

Apply Now!
Name
First Last
Email
Phone
Are you the main contact person for this organization?
- Yes
- No
If your answer was "No" above please provide the name, email and number of the correct person of contact of the organization you are applying for. If your answer was "Yes" above, please skip to the next question.

Section 2: Employer/Award Applicant Profile
What is your organization's name?
What is your address? Please include street address and zip number.
Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country
What is your website?
Is your organization located in Kent, Allegan, Muskegon or Ottawa counties?
- Yes
- No
If you answered "Yes" to the question above, please continue to the next question. If you answered "No", your organization does not qualify unfortunately.
Total number of employees in organization:
Total number of employees in West Michigan:
Total number of female employees in West Michigan:

Section 3: Best Practice Information/Award Justification Narrative
1. List each category of your application and in a concise narrative under each category heading provide:
  A brief description of the initiative, practices, and/or policies that have been implemented that empower women in your workplace.
2. Explain the basic components, how and why it was implemented, and how long it has been in place.
3. Describe how you measure the success of your practices and how it aligns with the organization’s goals (give examples here to make it easier, retention of employees, employees’ performance, continued growth of business and/or employees and/or reach)
4. Provide any statistical documentation and share concrete examples of results that improve the bottom line. (i.e., reduced turnover, reduced absenteeism, increased productivity, improved product quality and/or customer service, etc.)
5. Include at least two testimonials from women employees that highlight how they have benefited from the initiative/ best practice/workplace culture. This section is limited to no more than 1 page.
6. Supporting documents such as highlighted policy excerpts, including company statements on diversity, brochures about the initiative, and relevant media clippings are optional and may be attached as supporting application documents.
  The application cover page, narrative, testimonials, and supporting documents should not exceed 5 pages. We encourage you to be concise but add enough description, statistics, and/or details to explain your best practices.
Progressive Practices-Benefits (work/life, flexible schedules, living wage per hour, etc.)
If this is not a category you would like to be considered for, please type "N/A". If you want to be considered for this category, please answer parts 1 to 4 of Section 3 in the space provided above.
Career Advancement (mentoring, networking, professional development, etc.)
If this is not a category you would like to be considered for, please type "N/A". If you want to be considered for this category, please answer parts 1 to 4 of Section 3 in the space provided above.
Non-traditional Careers for Women (intentional recruitment/retention efforts to increase the number of women in an occupation not traditionally held by women)
If this is not a category you would like to be considered for, please type "N/A". If you want to be considered for this category, please answer parts 1 to 4 of Section 3 in the space provided above.
Inclusion & Diversity practices (hiring/retention/inclusion networks, etc.)
If this is not a category you would like to be considered for, please type "N/A". If you want to be considered for this category, please answer parts 1 to 4 of Section 3 in the space provided above.
Fair and equitable wage system
If this is not a category you would like to be considered for, please type "N/A". If you want to be considered for this category, please answer parts 1 to 4 of Section 3 in the space provided above.
Supportive workplace culture
If this is not a category you would like to be considered for, please type "N/A". If you want to be considered for this category, please answer parts 1 to 4 of Section 3 in the space provided above.
If you added other benefits and practices above, please list and explain them
If this is not a category you would like to be considered for, please type "N/A". If you want to be considered for this category, please answer parts 1 to 4 of Section 3 in the space provided above.
Include at least two testimonials from women employees that highlight how they have benefited from the initiative/ best practice/workplace culture.
This section is limited to no more than 1 page.
Supporting documents such as highlighted policy excerpts, including company statement on diversity, brochures about the initiative, and relevant media clippings are optional and may be attached as supporting application documents.
The application cover page, narrative, testimonials, and supporting documents should not exceed a total of 5 pages. We encourage you to be concise but add enough description, statistics, and/or details to explain your best practices.
If you have all supporting documents in 1 pdf file, please upload the file here. The maximum file size is 10mb.
Supporting documents such as highlighted policy excerpts, including company statement on diversity, brochures about the initiative, and relevant media clippings are optional and may be attached as supporting application documents. The application cover page, narrative, testimonials, and supporting documents should not exceed a total of 5 pages. We encourage you to be concise but add enough description, statistics, and/or details to explain your best practices.
We want to ensure that this application is as seamless as possible. Did you encounter any issues while completing this application? If yes, please can you elaborate?
Is there anything you would like for us to consider for next year's Annual Pillar Awards?

Pillar Awards Application Form

Step 1 of 3

Purpose of the Award

Notable Past Winners

Award Application Process

Award Eligibility Criteria

Important Dates & Application Timeline:

Section 2: Employer/Award Applicant Profile

Section 3: Best Practice Information/Award Justification Narrative