Hallmark Cards, Inc. Named a 2008 Working Mother 100 Best Company by Working Mother Magazine
Celebrating corporate America's family-friendly leaders
New York, NY (Sept. 23, 2008) — Working Mother magazine today named Hallmark Cards, Inc. one of the 2008 Working Mother 100 Best Companies. From flextime and telecommuting to backup child care and parental leave, Hallmark is expanding the concept of family-friendly benefits to ensure they cover adoptive parents, fathers and grandparents as well as working mothers.
“The economy is not going to alter the commitment of Hallmark to working mothers, because they’ve made family-friendly policies a part of their corporate DNA,” said Carol Evans, CEO, Working Mother Media. “Supporting families is a vital part of their culture and not just an added benefit.”
Added Suzanne Riss, Editor in Chief, Working Mother magazine, “Hallmark knows that their investment pays for itself through employee loyalty, and they realize that productivity depends as much on satisfied staffers as on smart processes. By helping employees manage their work/life demands, Hallmark is creating a highly motivated workforce.”
The magazine’s scorecard cited Hallmark’s strengths as providing family-friendly programs, strong health care benefits, and generous time-off and leaves for employees. In addition, Hallmark has made some significant work/life program enhancements in the last few years by adding part-time benefits, domestic partner benefits, elder care programs, and back-up support programs for child care and elder care needs.
“We’re thrilled to be included among so many forward-thinking companies,” said Amy Winterscheidt, who leads work/life programs for Hallmark. “Creating a positive work environment that helps all of our employees balance their lives inside and outside of work is a driving force behind the benefits and programs we offer.”
Methodology:
Hallmark Cards, Inc. was selected for the 2008 Working Mother 100 Best Companies based on an extensive application with more than 500 questions. The application included detailed questions about workforce, compensation, child care, flexibility programs, leave policies and more. It also checked 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, compensation, child care, flexibility, time off and leaves, family-friendly programs, and company culture. For this year’s 100 Best, particular weight was given to family-friendly policies, flexibility, leave policies, and benefits for part-timers.
A complete list of the 2008 Working Mother 100 Best Companies can be found at www.workingmother.com.
About Working Mother Media
Founded in 1979, Working Mother magazine reaches 2 million readers and is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers. Its 22-year signature initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, is the most important benchmark for work/life practices in corporate America. Working Motheris published by Working Mother Media, which was founded in 2001. Working Mother Media includes the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), Diversity Best Practices, the WorkLife Congress, the Multicultural Women's Conference and Town Halls. Working Mother Media’s mission is to champion culture change. For more information, please visit www.workingmother.com.
About Hallmark Cards, Inc.
Kansas City-based Hallmark has been helping people communicate, celebrate and connect for nearly 100 years. Hallmark greeting cards and other products can be found in more than 43,000 places in the U.S. alone, with the network of Hallmark Gold Crown® stores providing the very best selection. The Hallmark brand also reaches consumers online at Hallmark.com, on newsstands through Hallmark Magazine, and on television through Hallmark Hall of Fame original movies and the top-rated Hallmark Channel. In addition, Hallmark publishes products in more than 30 languages and distributes them in 100 countries across the globe. The company’s Crayola subsidiary provides fun and imaginative ways for children to colorfully express themselves. In 2007, privately held Hallmark reported consolidated net revenues of $4.4 billion. Charitable giving of $16 million a year focuses on the well-being of children and families, vibrant arts and cultural experiences, and basic services for people in need in the communities where Hallmark operates. For more information, visit http://corporate.hallmark.com.