Memorial Hermann Health System has been honored as an Outstanding Diverse Organization by the Houston Business Journal (HBJ) as part of the publication’s 2022 Diversity in Business Awards. Memorial Hermann was one of only three large organizations with 500 employees or more to receive this honor.
According to HBJ, the Outstanding Diverse Organization category identifies for-profit or nonprofit organizations that have contributed to harnessing diversity within their workforces and have actively taken the lead to promote and champion the business case for diversity within the community or their industries.
“It is truly an honor to be acknowledged by the Houston Business Journal for our commitment to diversity in the workplace,” said Dr. David Callender, President and CEO of Memorial Hermann. “Pursuing diversity, equity and inclusion in all we do is critical to achieving our system’s vision of creating healthier communities, now and for generations to come. We believe in celebrating our unique differences every day and fostering an environment where everyone feels included, heard, valued and respected.”
Memorial Hermann is dedicated to promoting practices that support equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) while also building a workforce representative of all areas of diversity, be it age, gender, disability, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion or culture. Through a multilayered EDI program comprised of distinct councils, Memorial Hermann is engaging in numerous efforts that will help the system meet its goals, break barriers that limit the success and well-being of its workforce, and ultimately better serve its employees, physicians, patients and community members.
From launching Employee Resource Groups to working to improve maternal and infant health, Memorial Hermann has a variety of initiatives underway to advance EDI both within its walls and out in the community. Just last fall, Memorial Hermann announced its commitment to become an Anchor Institution in neighborhoods in Southwest Houston and Greater Heights, further aligning their institutional and operational resources with the system’s community-centered vision. As a system, Memorial Hermann already contributes hundreds of millions of dollars annually through supporting the uninsured and underinsured, school-based health centers, neighborhood health centers, community resource centers, park revitalization projects, mental health crisis clinics and more.
“Memorial Hermann’s workforce is wonderfully diverse, representing a broad range of races, ethnicities, backgrounds and beliefs. Because of that, EDI will be the driving force behind every decision made and every action taken,” said Dr. Toi Harris, SVP and Chief EDI Officer for Memorial Hermann. “We each have to play a role in advancing EDI within our organization and in our community, and we are fully committed to doing just that.”
Memorial Hermann will be among the organizations recognized in the June 24 edition of HBJ honoring nominees and at a luncheon in June.