Applied Materials Honored with DiversityFIRST Award

Last week I had the pleasure of accepting on behalf of Applied Materials the 2010 Corporate DiversityFIRST Award from the Texas Diversity Council. The recognition was for Applied Materials’ commitment to diversity awareness and inclusion.

The diversity program and workshops at Applied Materials, have allowed us to explore many of our differences, tell our stories, recognize the uniqueness we each bring, and hopefully move beyond simple tolerance of viewing the world only through our own lenses, to one of embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each of us. It was this work and our annual Diversity Day conferences that caught the attention of the Texas Diversity Council.

I am proud of this recognition for our commitment to diversity awareness and inclusion and our long history of supporting the Texas Diversity Coucil — our employees participate in their conferences and also serve on their local Boards.

While we design, procure and produce amongst the most advanced equipment and technologies in the world in support of the semiconductor, display, LED and solar markets, our future success will continually be influenced by our ability to best leverage and respect the skills, life experiences and perspectives we each bring to Applied.

The award ceremony, attended by several members of our employee resource groups, leading companies, universities and top corporate leaders in the area of diversity provided a showcase that highlighted the initiatives, challenges and accomplishments individuals and corporations have faced, providing valued networking opportunities for further ‘Best Known Methods’ sharing that will prove to be valuable as we continue this journey.

I am committed to supporting our company's diversity efforts and to driving increased awareness and engagement. As our workforce continues to grow across borders and generations, these efforts are a clear business imperative. It is critical that we build an inclusive environment that encourages each employee to contribute to Applied's success. I appreciate the recognition from the Texas Diversity Council and look forward to more accomplishments across the company in this area.