Women Business Collaborative (WBC), the unprecedented alliance of organizations, companies and individuals working together to achieve equal position, pay and power for all women in business, is pleased to announce eight leading CEO recipients for the 2021 Excellence in Gender and Diversity CEO Award with six iconic recipients for WBC's 2021 Trailblazer Gender & Diversity Award. These awards showcase the top leaders in promoting gender and diversity equity across business.

WBC's 2021 Excellence in Gender and Diversity CEO Award recognizes top officials in major companies for their efforts to diversify their companies and increase opportunities for women in business roles. The 2021 awardees include: Mary T. Barra, Chair and CEO, General Motors; David Taylor, Chairman, President & CEO, P&G; Ronald P. O'Hanley, Chairman and CEO, State Street Corporation; Doug McMillon, President & CEO, Walmart, Inc.; Jim Fitterling, Chairman and CEO, Dow; Laurence D. Fink, Founder, Chairman and CEO, BlackRock, Inc.; Tricia Griffith, President & CEO, Progressive Insurance; and Barbara Humpton, President and CEO, Siemens Corporation.

All of the awardees will be honored at WBC's Virtual Annual Summit: Empowering Through Gender and Diversity on Tuesday, September 21st and Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021. Over a day and a half, WBC will highlight achievements in diversity and showcase how the movement is reaching tens of thousands of women, men and organizations across the US and the globe. WBC's Virtual Annual Summit helps celebrate achievements while acknowledging the hard work being done to reach equal position, pay and power for all businesswomen. 

Chair and CEO of General Motors, Mary T. Barra states: "I appreciate WBC's work to highlight gender and diversity equity and for including me among these influential leaders making a difference across industries. At General Motors, we are committed to true accountability in diversity, equity and inclusion and are committed to doing our part to make our company and our world a better place."

Doug McMillon, President & CEO, Walmart Inc. adds, "I'm honored to receive this award and grateful for the impact it represents of Walmart's diversity, equity and inclusion efforts – especially after a year full of challenges that disproportionately affected women and minority groups. This work remains urgent, and both Walmart and the entire business sector must continue to use our resources to create a more equitable society for all." 

And David Taylor, Chairman, President & CEO, P&G shares, "At P&G, we believe in a world with equal representation, equal opportunity, and an equal voice for all individuals, and I am honored to accept this award on behalf of P&G people who are driving this aspiration every day." 

In addition, WBC's 2021 Trailblazer Gender & Diversity Award recognizes business leaders who have implemented innovative changes that further gender equality and diversity, uplifting those around them and cultivating inclusive environments. The 2021 Awardees include: Indra Nooyi, Former Chairman and CEO, PepsiCo; Joey Reiman, Co-founder and Chair of Brand New World Studios; Gina Raimondo, U.S. Secretary of Commerce; Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Chairman and CEO Magic Johnson Enterprises; Thasunda Brown Duckett, President and CEO, TIAA; and Lilly Ledbetter, Author and Equal Pay Activist. Lilly shares what all these Trailblazers represent: "I'll be happy if the last thing they say about me after I die is that I made a difference." 

"What an honor it is to recognize and celebrate these CEOs driving change for gender and diversity along with these Trailblazers contributing to our nation," says Edie Fraser, CEO of Women Business Collaborative. "They all deserve these honors for their remarkable commitment to supporting and advancing WBCs vision of equal position, pay, and power for women in business and our commitment to DE&I."