Delta Dental of Illinois named in top 20 for 2023 NACD Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award

By Managing Editor | October 13, 2023 |

Awards recognize exemplary board practices related to diversity, equity & inclusion

Delta Dental of Illinois is one of 20 boards named as finalists for the 2023 NACD Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Awards. The annual awards recognize boards that have improved their governance and created long-term value for stakeholders by implementing forward-thinking diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) practices.

“Delta Dental of Illinois is intentional about our commitment to be an inclusive organization to ultimately drive better outcomes for our employees, customers and those we support through our corporate social responsibility efforts,” says Rheaana Guess, vice president, people and diversity officer at Delta Dental of Illinois. “We are proud our Board is receiving this recognition for the third time, and we applaud them for helping to guide our culture of inclusion, from those we employ and advance to the policies we implement, organizations we support, vendors we use and how we manage our day-to-day operations.”

“DE&I is important to any boardroom, and Delta Dental of Illinois has taken the steps to create a truly diverse and respected board,” says Peter Gleason, NACD president and CEO. “I am proud NACD has recognized the work and impact of Delta Dental of Illinois.”

The Delta Dental of Illinois Board Culture & Compensation Committee provides guidance for the organization’s DE&I initiatives. Delta Dental of Illinois DE&I efforts are led by Guess with support from the entire leadership team, as well as the organization’s cross-functional Diversity, Inclusion, Culture, Engagement and Equity Team that focuses on internal and external initiatives.

To learn more about Delta Dental of Illinois’ DE&I initiatives, which are part of its overall corporate social responsibility efforts, review the 2022 Delta Dental of Illinois Corporate Social Responsibility Report.

This year’s 20 finalists were celebrated at the NACD Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Awards Gala, held during the 2023 NACD Summit, on October 10 in Washington D.C.

Visit the NACD DE&I Awards™ website to learn more. For more information on NACD’s commitment to the advancement of DE&I at the board level, and for further insights, trends, and perspectives on this issue, visit the NACD Center for Inclusive Governance™ and the NACD Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Resource Center.