Awards6/24/2021

COTA Named to Parity.org’s Best Companies for Women to Advance List for Second Year in a Row

COLUMBUS, Ohio – For the second year in a row, COTA has been named to the Parity.org Best Companies for Women to Advance List 2021. Parity.org, which advocates for gender equality at the highest levels of business, recognizes organizations that have implemented a mix of exemplary benefits, policies and programs that ensure women have significant opportunities to advance their careers. COTA joins 33 other companies in the national recognition, including PepsiCo, Best Buy, Clorox, Airbnb and Nasdaq.

“At COTA, we are intentional and believe in the power of diversity and inclusion,” said Sindy Mondesir, COTA’s Chief People Officer. “We know having a representative and inclusive workplace brings diversity of thought and leadership that makes us more resilient and productive as an organization, allowing us to better serve our customers. To achieve this, we have made dedicated strides in providing opportunities for all employees, constantly looking through a lens of equity, diversity, and inclusion. We do this so COTA can be representative of our entire community, and it is gratifying for this approach to be recognized by Parity.org.”

Under COTA President/CEO Joanna M. Pinkerton’s leadership, 60% of COTA’s executive leadership and 50% of the organization’s directors are women. COTA offers programs that encourage the advancement of women, including a college tuition reimbursement program. COTA also signed a commitment to pay equity in 2019 and raised the minimum wage for new and existing employees to $15 per hour. All new employees are also eligible for health insurance coverage within their first month on the job.

“After a year that has erased all the gains women have made in the past several decades, there are still companies that are making progress to support women’s advancement at work — all the more reason to celebrate their successes,” said Cathrin Stickney, Parity.org founder and CEO. “The companies that are on the 2021 list of Best Companies for Women to Advance are shining examples of companies that actually walk the talk and are helping create equal representation, now.”

Companies on the 2021 list share many common best practices that are known to support women, such as work-from-home or telecommute options (97%), flexible working hours (94%), and equal paid family leave for men and women (88%). Nearly every company measures and reports on gender parity to the executive team (97%), and every single company regularly communicates their gender-parity values to employees, encourages men to take their full family leave and has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment.

For more details, visit www.parity.org/best-companies.

About Parity.org

Parity.org is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to closing the gender gap at the highest ranks of business leadership. You can follow Parity.org on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Organizations wanting to take the ParityPledge or learn more about Parity.org should visit www.Parity.org.

About the Best Companies for Women to Advance List
The Central Ohio Transit Authority is the region’s mobility solutions provider, driven each day to connect people to prosperity through innovation, dedication and teamwork. By utilizing technology and data, establishing community partnerships and applying sustainability principles, COTA provides equitable access to jobs, healthcare and education.

Parity.org established the Best Companies for Women to Advance List to recognize organizations that have benefits, policies, and programs that are particularly beneficial for women to advance in the workplace. Thirty-four companies made the 2021 list, based on a cumulative rating that took into consideration recruitment, benefits, executive preparation, measurement and overall representation.