Care for Our People
— UPDATED NOVEMBER 2024 —
Our mission of helping people live more caring, connected lives wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of Hallmarkers from around the globe. We’re committed to creating a workplace where they feel cared for, their ideas heard, and their uniqueness valued.
We do this by fostering a culture of inclusion and furthering diversity and equity for all employees. While our work in this area is never done, we’re proud of the progress we’ve made by encouraging education and awareness, increasing accountability, and evaluating how we recruit, retain, and develop our employees.
Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion also extends to our products and content, and this year’s stories speak to our efforts to care not just for our people but for all people who want to see themselves reflected in the experiences we create.
Hallmark Media Creates Love Stories for Everyone
For longtime viewers of Hallmark programs, there’s been a noticeable change in the past few years: Characters and storylines in movies and series are more evolved. From race to disability to sexuality, Hallmark Media is reflecting the everyday diversity of wider audiences who enjoy its content—and a pair of 2022 award nominations show how the industry is also appreciating the inclusionary efforts. Hallmark Channel’s A Holiday in Harlem received an NAACP Image Award nomination, and the GLAAD Media Awards bestowed the same honor on The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls.
In 2022, Hallmark Media also expanded the Mahogany greeting card line—which connects, celebrates, and uplifts Black people—into storytelling on screen with the release of three films under the Mahogany banner.
Also, Hallmark Media announced a female-focused initiative that will create opportunities for aspiring filmmakers. The Make Her Mark reciprocal director mentor initiative, conceived as a passion project by Hallmark actor and creative partner Ashley Williams, will continue the company’s commitment to inclusive storytelling and embracing the female perspective in front of and behind the camera. ♦
Hallmark Earns Top Score from Human Rights Campaign
In January 2022, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC)—the largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization—once again gave Hallmark a perfect score in its annual corporate equality index (CEI) score. HRC rates companies in four areas: nondiscrimination policies across business entities; equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families; supporting an inclusive culture; and corporate social responsibility. As a result, Hallmark earned a designation as one of the best places to work for LGBTQ+ equality. ♦
Forbes Recognizes Hallmark as Best Employer
Forbes named Hallmark as one of “America’s Best Employers for Women” and “America’s Best Employers for New Grads.” To compile these lists, Forbes worked with market research company Statista to survey tens of thousands of people to find out if they’d recommend their employers to others. The survey also covered companies’ safety, compensation, advancement, and brand image. Parental leave, nondiscrimination, pay equity, and genderdiversity on executive and board levels also factored into the final score. These honors reaffirm our efforts to build an inclusive culture for gender and generational diversity; we’re proud that Hallmark is an employer of choice around the globe. ♦
Capturing the Spirit (Wairua) of Aotearoa and Māori Culture
In 2022, Hallmark Australia & New Zealand launched Te Koha, a new line of cards and gift wrap highlighting Te Reo to celebrate life’s special occasions. Te Reo is the language of Māori, the indigenous people of Aotearoa/New Zealand.
Hallmarkers Jess Corcoran and Anni Dowden-Jones developed the meaningful collection collaborating with local iwi (tribe) and rangatira (leaders), to ensure its integrity. It was built on the three pillars of Te Tiriti of Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi)—manaakitanga (caring), kaitiakitanga (responsibility), and kotahitanga (inclusivity). The cards are 100% recyclable and have been welcomed by all major supermarkets and booksellers, with Countdown, New Zealand’s largest supermarket chain, exclusively launching the set during Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori (Māori language week). ♦
In August 2022 Crown Media Family Networks was renamed Hallmark Media.