Her Passion For Making A Difference Reaps Benefits For Employees, The Company -- And Now Her

Mention Stacey Gibson's name at Bristol-Myers Squibb, and one word keeps popping up: passionate. In her position as senior director of Work/Life and Diversity Programs, Stacey Gibson has brought her passion to bear on a multitude of programs related to work, family life and diversity for the company's 17,000 U.S. employees. "There's no one who has greater passion for work, for diversity and work/life balance than Stacey Gibson," says Sandra Holleran, vice president, Human Resources, Corporate Staff.

In recognition of her years of dedication to this field, Gibson received a 2006 Work Life Legacy Award by the Families and Work Institute on June 12, 2006, in New York. The Institute, a nonprofit center for research about issues of work and family, established this award several years ago to honor the people whose contributions to the work/life field have been extraordinary.

Stacey Gibson's contributions have certainly been that. An employee of Bristol-Myers Squibb for 32 years, Gibson has been in charge of work/life programs for the company's U.S. employees since 1990. "I continually ask myself: How do we attract, develop and retain the best talent so that employees not only grow themselves, but they advance the strategy and the mission of the company?" she says.

In answer. "It's diversity," says Stacy Wittekind, manager, Work/Life Effectiveness. Combine that with Stacey's passion and the result is a winning recipe. "Stacey had that ‘Aha!' moment about the importance of diversity and inclusion long before it became fashionable," Wittekind says. "In fact, she's the brains behind the whole operation -- creating the kinds of programs that would meet the work/life needs of a diverse employee population. Stacey is the engine that drives the programs and services we have."

Work/Life Programs

These include establishing four, state-of-the-art, on-site child development centers. "Stacey was a big advocate for on-site child care at BMS," says Sue Jordan, regional manager of the four centers for Bright Horizons. She calls Gibson a strong supporter for the parents who use the centers and the children who attend them. "She will not compromise on the quality of the program, but she also represents the corporate point of view. She's a champion for both sides."

For Bristol-Myers Squibb parents and parents-to-be, Gibson has also instituted a free infant formula program, counseling about issues of adoption and parenting, and lactation services. For employees' aging family members, she's put in place services for elder care, from on-site geriatric counseling, to in-home assessments and services, to seminars on living wills and estate planning.

Workplace flexibility is another important focus for Gibson. "She believes that in order to keep talent here, you have to be flexible with working hours," Holleran says. The result is that 12 percent of the company's U.S. employees take advantage of a variety of flexible work options, including telecommuting, job sharing and working from home.

These programs have contributed to Bristol-Myers Squibb being named a Top 10 Company for Working Mothers by Working Mother magazine, and a Top 30 Company for Executive Women by the National Association for Female Executives. The company has made both these prestigious lists for five consecutive years. "We now shine as a stellar example of how to be a family-friendly company because of the work that Stacey has done," says Linda Leonard, manager, Diversity and HR Policy.

Diversity Initiatives

In 2002, Gibson also took on responsibility for Bristol-Myers Squibb's diversity agenda. "Stacey worked very hard to put together the strategy behind the diversity initiatives at BMS," says Antoine Andrews, manager, Diversity and Inclusion. "She focuses on building diversity at all levels of leadership and fostering a culture of inclusion."

Gibson begins with the hiring process, by promoting diverse slates of candidates. She was also a driving force behind establishing the company's five employee affinity groups: the African-American Affinity Group, the Women's Affinity Network, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Allies Group (GLBTA), Unidad Hispana and the newest, the Pan Asian Network.

Clint Allen, senior director, Corporate Compliance Audit, and co-chair of the African-American Affinity Group, says, "Stacey instituted these affinity groups, and that was genius.

"Members of the company's employee affinity groups enjoy a sense of fellowship with their co-workers, which unlocks a huge amount of energy. Members focus on accomplishing the BMS mission from the unique perspectives they, and others like them, bring to the company," Allen explains. "They achieve together, feel greater inclusion, and enhance the value proposition that exists between employees and the company. There is no sure way to do this, other than bringing people of like mind and orientation together to do the work of the company."

Drew Hanson, executive associate, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, and co-chair of the GLBTA group, couldn't agree more. "Stacey has been right there beside us since the start, and she's one of our staunchest allies," he says. "She brings to bear a vast knowledge of diversity programs, and she's committed to making this the best place for everyone to work. That's a pretty noble thing."

Gibson meets quarterly with the leaders of each of the affinity groups to share common practices. "It's a way for us to educate each other so we can all become the diversity champions that we need to be," she says. She also helped develop and now monitors the Connections Mentoring program, a formal mentoring program for members of the company's affinity groups.

Boston College Roundtable

Stacey's passion for work/life and diversity issues doesn't stop at the company's doors. She has represented Bristol-Myers Squibb on the Boston College Work and Family Roundtable since its founding in 1990. Made up of 45 companies, the Roundtable is a meeting point between academic researchers into work and family life, and businesses that have practical applications for their findings. "Stacey's been a mentor to others in the group," says Kathleen Lynch, director, Corporate Partnerships, at the Center for Work and Family at Boston College. "She's a passionate advocate for work/life issues, but she helps others in the field see that you need to represent your company."

Gibson's response to all of this praise is to insist on sharing the spotlight. "I'm honored and truly flattered that the Families and Work Institute believes that my work merits this recognition," she says, "but you can't accomplish this alone."

On the professional side, Stacey says she is grateful for the opportunity to do what she does, and for the collaboration of her staff and colleagues. She calls Sandra Holleran "the best mentor I've ever had," and says that as she tries to balance the needs of the company and the employees, she often asks herself, "What would Sandra do? That's my beacon, and it shows me where to go."

Stacey is also thankful for her cheering section in her personal life: her husband Sid, "who has always had confidence in my ability," her stepdaughter Cassandra, and her two grandchildren, William and Dana.

At the end of the day, what would Stacey like the impact of her years of work with work/life and diversity issues at Bristol-Myers Squibb to be? "That I was able to make a difference in one person's life," she says.