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America's Top Ten Adoption-Friendly Workplaces for 2008
#1 WENDY’S INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Dublin, OH . 40,200 Employees . Restaurant Industry
 “Supporting adoption and helping find permanent, loving homes for foster children was the vision of our Founder Dave Thomas,” said Kerrii Anderson, Chief Executive Officer and President of Wendy’s International, Inc. “There is no finer cause than the support of families who are trying to adopt children and we’re proud that Wendy's has been recognized for our efforts. Many of our employees have adopted children and we hope to empower more employees in the future with meaningful benefits and support.”
Kerrii Anderson, CEO and President (left) with Rita Soronen, Executive Director, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
#2 CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
Providence, RI . 25,000 Employees . Financial Services Industry
 “At Citizens, we have a Credo, and it guides us in everything we do — our commitment to our Customers, our Colleagues and the Communities in which we live and work. Supporting our colleagues with this benefit is one of the many important ways we deliver on our Credo. We’ve learned from colleagues that adopting a child can unfortunately become a financial decision, costing up to $35,000 for an international adoption. By offering financial assistance, we help ease the financial burden. Providing our colleagues with benefits that make real, positive differences in their lives is critical to our success, for it shows them how important
they are to us.”
Kathy McKenzie, group executive vice president and chief human resources officer
#3 UNITED BUSINESS MEDIA LLC (UBM)
Manhasset, NY . 1,200 Employees . Media and Publishing Industry
“As an organization, UBM is focused on positive culture and profitable growth. We have a very talented employee base and it is important to us to provide strong benefits and a healthy life work balance to them. The efforts of our employees have made our company an industry leader and it is wonderful to be able to provide benefits that help support them and their families in something as important as the adoption process. Providing benefits such as this has encouraged entrepreneurial teamwork, professionalism and positive culture and allows us to retain
talented individuals.”
Scott Mozarsky, chief operating officer
#4 TIMBERLAND
Stratham, NH . 5,850 Employees . Consumer Products Industry
 “Timberland takes pride in the programs our employees have asked for and have helped us develop. Our employees are proud that we make this available. Those who have used the benefit are eager to express their gratitude. It is an affordable and meaningful program.”
Kathy Neils, director of human potential
#5 BARILLA AMERICA, INC.
Bannockburn, IL . 360 Employees . Food Industry
 “We were very pleased to be able to offer our new adoption policy last year. It is a benefit that represents Barilla’s commitment to its people and communities. Barilla is a family-friendly company with a strong work-life balance culture. Our benefit programs not only help us attract great people but also help us retain them. We understand the costs and commitments of those who choose to adopt a child in need and feel that we can make a difference in their lives by sharing in those costs and providing time for the family to bond with their new addition.”
Eric Schueneman, director of compensation, benefits & HRIS
#6 SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.
Cherry Hill, NJ . 800 Employees . Automotive Industry
 "Subaru’s culture is based on relationships and a family atmosphere; therefore, we offer adoption benefits to help children find loving homes with our employees. It’s a high-value benefit for employees who choose to bring a child into their lives and a low cost benefit to our company due to its utilization. Adoption benefits offer our employees the financial assistance to create or expand a family of their own.”
Thomas J. Doll, executive vice president, chief financial officer
#7 JPMORGAN CHASE
New York, NY . 183,000 Employees . Financial Services Industry
 “Each adoption enriches the community as much as it does the lives of the children and parents it brings together. At the same time, it can be very expensive, so JPMorgan Chase tries to help. We provide direct financial assistance and paid time off to employees who choose to open their hearts and homes by adopting a child. In addition, we’ve just introduced a new loan product called ‘Chase New Additions’ to help our customers finance adoption-related expenses. It’s a good feeling to know we’re helping to make people’s dreams come true.”
Christine Fossaceca, global work-life solutions manager (www.chase.com/NewAdditions)
#8 AVON PRODUCTS, INC.
New York, NY . 6,100 Employees . Consumer Products Industry
“Adoption benefits are one of a number of ways that Avon supports associates of a ‘Company for Women.’ Along with the paid adoption leave policy and other resources, our benefit and policies demonstrate Avon’s long-term and on-going commitment to maintain a family-family-friendly workplace.”
Michele Schneider, director, global benefits
#9 FRANKLIN INTERNATIONAL
Columbus, OH . 400 Employees . Manufacturing Industry
 “Lots of companies say they are family friendly; we try to make that a reality. The adoption program is one aspect of that commitment.”
Doug Reys, manager of compensation and benefits
#10 (4-WAY TIE) AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS
Kansas City, MO . 1,750 Employees . Financial Services Industry
 “We design our benefits programs with all employees in mind. For example, we have rich maternity benefits. However, we realize that not all employees can make use of those benefits. We reach out to support families of employees wishing to adopt by offering financial assistance and paid leave. The adoption policy is part of our top-tier benefits program that supports all our people in a variety of family structures. We feel strongly that the culture we’ve built here is a competitive advantage that distinguishes us as an employer of choice among asset managers.”
Julie Nicely, vice president of compensation and benefits
#10 (4-WAY TIE) FANNIE MAE
Washington, DC . 5,717 Employees . Financial Services Industry
 “Fannie Mae believes that providing adoption assistance to our employees not only helps them feel supported by the company, but it also proves to them that work/life balance is ingrained in our culture. Employees who have adopted have shared that they feel more committed to the company because they have a benefit that helps them build their family. At Fannie Mae, we strive to build a culture of individuals who feel valued and want to come to work.”
Brian P. McQuaid, vice president for human resources Shared Services
#10 (4-WAY TIE) SAP
Philadelphia, PA . 7,500 Employees . Technology Industry
 “Our adoption benefits are part of the company’s overall goal to ‘be a great place to work’ through sustained commitment to our employees. Such innovative investments support our corporate vision of being a company that cares about its employees, customers and the communities in which we operate. In short, we believe it is the right thing to do for our employees. Their enthusiasm for this program validates our efforts. Virtually all have praised it for providing the time and quality of life they need to spend with an adopted child. Our employees have described the program as personally and professionally rewarding in all aspects, no matter what level they are within SAP.”
Terry Laudal, senior vice president of human resources, SAP Americas
#10 (4-WAY TIE) SOUTH MOUNTAIN COMPANY
West Tisbury, MA . 30 Employees . Architecture and Construction Industry
South Mountain Company is an employee-owned, resource conscious design/build firm located on the island of Martha’s Vineyard providing a wide range of services including development, planning, architecture, building, solar & wind energy system design & installation, Loewen window & door sales, cabinetry, furniture, and interiors. With a top ten benefits package and only 30 employees, it is the #1 adoption-friendly workplace among small employers.
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