Tenth Annual Regional Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace Awards Recognizes DC and Maryland Businesses
(and Sixth Annual Health Care Provider Award)
The D.C. and Maryland Breastfeeding Coalitions are pleased to announce the 2019
recipients of their Regional Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace Awards. Awardees
received this honor at the Awards Luncheon Friday, November 15, 2019 at Martha's
Table at The Commons in Washington, DC. This year shows the largest
and most diverse group of awardees yet.
The 32 businesses receiving the Regional Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace Award this year include:
- Accenture Federal Services
- Environmental Protection Agency, Headquarters
- Perkins Eastman
- Adventist HealthCare
- Fahrney-Keedy Senior Living Community
- Pompeian Inc
- American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
- International Youth Foundation
- Ritchie Park Elementary School
- AstraZeneca
- Johns Hopkins Lactation Support Program
- Save the Children Federation Inc.
- Avalon Consulting
- John Snow, Inc.
- SECU of Maryland
- Baltimore County Public Library, Woodlawn Branch
- The Maryland Pediatric Group
- St. Mary's County Department of Social Services
- Charles County Government
- Mary's Center
- Third Way
- Child First Authority
- Metropolitan AME Church
- Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore of MD
- Commerce Title Company, Inc
- Nestle USA
- University of Maryland Medical Center
- Continental Realty Corporation
- Network for Good
- Vox Media
- DC Health
- Open Works Baltimore
The 2019 Health Care Provider Awardee:
- The Maryland Pediatric Group
This year, three sites also received Special Commendations for providing
extra or unique supports to breastfeeding families:
- Anne Arundel County Public Schools - for establishing the first
lactation accommodation policy for a Maryland public school system.
- University of Maryland Medical Center Medical ICU and Emergency
Department - for creating additional unique supports in busy areas,
when employees could not reach the larger lactation roosm.
DCBFC and MBC are nonprofit organizations, which unite breastfeeding advocates,
health care providers, and families. They provide a forum for the development and
exchange of resources and foster the establishment of breastfeeding as the normal
way to nurture infants.
Work-site support of employees enrolled in a company-provided lactation support
program is a Win-Win situation. Employers benefit through increased rates of
retention, employee satisfaction and morale. The health benefits of breastfeeding for
mother and baby equate to decreased health care and insurance costs, and a
reduction in sick leave requests to care for an ill child.
The 2010 Affordable Health Care Act stipulates that employers must provide
reasonable break time and a space, other than a bathroom, for a mother to express
her milk. "Despite this, some nursing mothers still do not receive sufficient
supports in their place of work. The Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace Awards
seek to highlight and applaud businesses who are doing their best to support
women in the workplace," says Dr. Jessica Nash, Co-Secretary of the DC Breastfeeding
Coalition.
"The businesses receiving these awards serve as role models for our region.
Many of the awardees were nominated by their employees, who wished to
recognize the supports they receive. Each site was unique. Supports ranged
from a small comfortable room to a large
program replete with lactation consultants, supplies and support groups.
We are so proud to honor them all."
says Dr. Dana Silver, Past President of the Maryland Breastfeeding Coalition.
Businesses were judged based on their size and the accommodations they provided
to breastfeeding employees. These included support and education, as well as the
time and space for mothers to breastfeed and/or pump breast milk in the
workplace. Based on the number of amenities and processes to support
breastfeeding, businesses received the awards at Gold, Silver or Bronze level.
Criteria for Health Care Provider Awards were based on the Academy of
Breastfeeding Medicine's Breastfeeding-Friendly Physician's Office Protocol. These
offices represent healthcare providers who go the extra mile to support their tiniest
patients and their mothers.
For more information on the Regional Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace and
Health Care Provider Awards program, contact Dr. Dana Silver
or Dr. Jessica Nash. Please also see
web stories and photos of the Workplace Award recipients on our websites,
www.dcbfc.org and www.mdbfc.org
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