Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will host a Ceremony for the 2022 winners of the Secretary of State's Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) on Friday, December 9, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. EST in the Benjamin Franklin Room at the Department of State. Secretary Blinken will be joined by Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez and Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs Ramin Toloui to recognize four U.S. companies for work overseas that benefits local communities and exemplifies American values.
This year commemorates the Award for Corporate Excellence's 23rd year. Established in 1999, the ACE recognizes the crucial role U.S. companies are playing in showcasing high standards of business conduct in a variety of categories. The 2022 ACE categories are Responsible Business Operations; Climate Resilience; and Inclusive Economic Growth.
Two companies will be recognized in the category Responsible Business Operations. Anova Technical Services, LLC, a small-sized enterprise in Bali, Indonesia, won this year's award for offering fully traceable seafood through secure seafood tracking from its point of catch to its point of sale. Gap Inc., India, was awarded for taking care of people during the COVID-19 pandemic: when the pandemic hit and their suppliers were unable to pay their employees, GAP Inc. stepped in, negotiated payment of wages, and ensured financial security for those most vulnerable to the economic impacts of the pandemic.
In the Climate Resilience category, the 2022 ACE Winner is Drinkwell, Bangladesh. Drinkwell provides safe and affordable water directly to residents of densely packed neighborhoods in Dhaka.
In Inclusive Economic Growth, the 2022 ACE Winner is Intel, Costa Rica for its Skills 4 Life capacity-building training, designed for underserved afro-descendent and indigenous populations in one of the lowest-income regions in Costa Rica.
