The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs is pleased to announce four winners of the 2022 Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE). Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will present these four American companies, large and small, with the award in a ceremony on December 9, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. EST at the State Department. The 2022 ACE categories are Responsible Business Operations; Climate Resilience; and Inclusive Economic Growth.
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 elevating higher standards of business conduct. Together, these companies are leading the way in addressing some of our greatest global challenges.
The 2022 Award Recipients
ACE Winner in Responsible Business Operations
Anova Technical Services, LLC, Indonesia
Anova is a small-sized enterprise in Bali, Indonesia, nominated by U.S. Consulate General Surabaya. Anova offers fully traceable seafood through secure seafood tracking, ensuring transparency from ocean to plate. This is done by documenting the seafood’s journey from its point of catch to its point of sale. It is also the first business to attain the Fair-Trade USA Seafood Certification, ensuring workers are afforded fair and equitable wages and safe working conditions across its entire supply chain.
ACE Winner in Responsible Business Operations
Gap Inc., India
Gap Inc., India, nominated by U.S. Consulate General Chennai, has demonstrated leadership in the most essential of tasks—taking care of people. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and their suppliers were unable to pay their employees, Gap Inc. stepped in and negotiated payment of wages their suppliers owed to those employees to ensure an uninterrupted supply chain and financial security for those most vulnerable to the economic impacts of the pandemic.
ACE Winner in Climate Resilience
Drinkwell, Bangladesh
Drinkwell in Bangladesh, nominated by U.S. Embassy Dhaka, provides clean and affordable water directly to residents of densely packed neighborhoods in Dhaka, using “water ATMs”—a pay-as-you-go system that works with the local utility company to scale out its operations. Through its U.S. made technology, Drinkwell’s water-purification system improves the resiliency for the Bangladeshi people in the face of population growth, climate change, and industrial expansion.
ACE Winner in Inclusive Economic Growth
Intel, Costa Rica
Intel, Costa Rica, nominated by U.S. Embassy San José, has been awarded the 2022 ACE award 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. It has already enhanced the employment potential for 160 young people since 2021 and has been so successful that Intel is considering bringing the program to other Intel sites across the globe.
Watch the 2022 ceremony here:
The U.S. Department of State is committed to working with companies to further responsible business practices worldwide and to recognize their efforts to improve lives at home and abroad. For more information, please visit: http://www.state.gov/ace.