SEMI Europe and the SEMI European Advisory Council for Diversity and Inclusion announced Edwards as the recipient of the 2023 SEMI Industry Leader in Diversity and Inclusion Award. Christine Pelissier, General Manager, Customer Center EMEA of Semiconductor at Edwards accepted the award at SEMICON Europa 2023 during the Future of Work session.
“I’m proud of the work that we’ve done at Edwards to promote diversity and embed a positive culture of inclusion,” Pelissier said. “We started our journey in 2019 and we still have work to do. This award is a recognition of the organization’s commitment to not just set targets but to do the work required to deliver on them.”
“The semiconductor industry’s capacity to innovate and sustain competitiveness in Europe relies significantly on a diverse and skilled workforce,” said Laith Altimime, President of SEMI Europe. “Over the past five years, Edwards has continuously focused on improving the diversity and inclusion of its workforce through innovative and progressive programs.”
Established in 2019, the SEMI Industry Leader in Diversity and Inclusion Award recognizes European semiconductor companies that exhibit outstanding leadership and make strategic contributions to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. The award celebrates their practices that advance both their workforces and the chip industry at large.
Edwards promotes culture-first mindset
Edwards’ leaders have placed a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion in the European semiconductor industry, establishing the company as a pioneer with recent measures to promote worker wellbeing, mental health and inclusivity. Edwards takes a holistic approach to cultivating an inclusive workplace with corporate policies that support inclusive language, trans colleagues, and Fusion, a network for the Edwards LGBTQ+ community. Edwards also offers employee education programs to raise awareness of issues such as unconscious bias and menopause.
SEMI Europe welcomes nominations for the 2024 award for companies that have inspired the industry through their exemplary leadership and execution, volunteerism, sponsorship, and innovation in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Prior award recipients hailed from companies including Soitec, Melexis, and SPTS Technologies, a KLA company.