Discovery Communications Named 2009 Top 10 Place to Work by Working Mother Magazine
-- 10th consecutive year for Discovery among America’s 100 family-friendly leaders --
September 22, 2009
(New York, N.Y.) Working Mother magazine has named Discovery Communications, the world's number one nonfiction media company, as one of the top 10 companies in its list of the 2009 Working Mother 100 Best Companies. Discovery made the list for the 10th consecutive year in recognition of its continuing dedication to progressive family-friendly benefits.
"We are thrilled that Working Mother magazine has recognized Discovery Communications as one of the best places to work for the 10th straight year," said Adria Alpert Romm, Senior Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Discovery. "We are committed to providing the most supportive work environment possible for our valued employees, who are among the best in their fields. On-site, full service health care, a newly opened child care center serving more than 100 children, fitness and education reimbursements, counseling services, and flexible hours and telework are all elements of our comprehensive package aimed at serving the varied needs of our workforce."
Working Mother's best companies lead the way in pioneering programs that support families, with 100 percent offering flextime, on-site lactation and telecommuting, and 98 percent offering job-sharing and wellness programs. In addition, financial programs available to the employees of the 100 best companies, such as tuition reimbursement, retirement planning and pre-tax FSAs for childcare, continued to increase, despite the recent downturn in the economy.
"The Working Mother 100 Best Companies stand head and shoulders above the rest," said Carol Evans, CEO, Working Mother Media. "For example, in the last year, we saw the number of companies nationwide offering flexible work arrangements diminish five percentage points, while the 100 Best Companies stayed steady at 100 percent. The 100 Best provide leadership where and when we need it most, furnishing a framework of support for working families during good times and bad. If all companies adopted these best practices, more families could weather the economic storm."
"Moms are increasingly becoming the sole breadwinners in many households as men lose their jobs at a higher rate than women," said Suzanne Riss, Editor in Chief, Working Mother magazine. "Now more than ever, our readers and all working mothers need the support of their employers. By offering benefits like paid maternity leave, the ability to work from home and wellness programs, as well as programs that enhance financial well-being, our 100 Best are helping to reduce stress in the busy lives of working moms. These companies epitomize family-friendly support at its best."
Now in its 24th year, the Working Mother 100 Best Companies program draws attention to the significant contributions working mothers make to industries and the companies that recognize the importance of tapping this essential labor pool. "We have faith that some day the programs found at the 100 Best Companies will become business norms offered by all companies," said Evans. "When the economy recovers, lagging companies will lose out on a powerful group of dedicated employees-working moms."
Profiles of the 100 Best Companies, as well as national comparisons, are in the October issue of Working Mother and at workingmother.com.
Methodology:
Companies were selected for the 2009 Working Mother 100 Best Companies based on an extensive application with more than 500 questions on workforce, compensation, child care, flexibility programs, leave policies and more. It also surveys the usage, availability and tracking of programs, as well as the accountability of managers who oversee them. Seven areas were measured and scored: workforce profile, benefits, women's issues and advancement, child care, flexible work, parental leave and company culture. For this year's 100 Best, particular weight was given to benefits, flexibility and parental leave.
For more information on applying for the 2010 Working Mother 100 Best Companies, visit www.wmmsurveys.com. The 2010 online application will be available in mid-December and due by early March 2010. All companies that apply, including those that don't make the 100 Best list, receive feedback showing how they compare with all other applicants.
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world's number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in 170 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Planet Green, Investigation Discovery and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.
About Working Mother Media
Celebrating 30 years, Working Mother magazine reaches 2 million readers and is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers while workingmother.com brings to the Web a broad range of insight and solutions served to working mothers every day. Working Mother's 24-year signature research initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, is the most important benchmark for work-life practices in corporate America. With offices in New York and Washington, D.C., Working Mother Media, a division of Bonnier Corp., includes the National Association for Female Executives, Diversity Best Practices, the WorkLife Congress and the Multicultural Women's Conference and Town Halls. Working Mother Media's mission is to champion cultural change.
°National statistics are taken from a recent study by the Society for Human Resource Management.