On March 1, The Manufacturing Institute (MI) — the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers — announced it will recognize Allegion Vice President of EHS, Remediation and Real Estate Gladys Thomas with the Women in Manufacturing STEP Ahead Award. The STEP Ahead Awards honor women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers and represent all levels of the manufacturing industry, from the factory floor to the C-suite.
“I am honored and humbled to have received this award. While I will be accepting this award, it represents all of the talented individuals I have had the privilege of working with. I am excited to be a part of the Manufacturing Institute and Allegion as we continue addressing the global challenges of today and tomorrow,” Thomas said.
In her role, Thomas is responsible for Allegion’s global environmental health and safety, ultimately owning the strategies that help protect our company’s manufacturing workforce, facilities, tools and equipment every day, as well as in times of crisis. She has dedicated her career to making a positive difference in the lives of manufacturing workers.
“I am thrilled to see Gladys recognized as a 2022 STEP award recipient. Through her years of leadership and dedication in the field of environmental health and safety, Gladys has distinguished herself both as an EHS professional, as well as an incredible leader of people. Her capabilities have been distinctly evident while guiding Allegion and our employees through the unprecedented pandemic and related mitigations,” said Cindy Farrer, Allegion senior vice president, global operations and integrated supply chain. “Through her many efforts and stewardship, along with those of the entire Allegion team, Allegion has continued to achieve world class health and safety levels as recognized by the Campbell Institute with the 2021 Campbell Award. Additionally, Gladys is among the best in developing and engaging, not only her team, but those across the organization.”
The STEP Women’s Initiative is the nation’s marquee program to close the gender gap in manufacturing. STEP works to foster a 21st-century manufacturing workforce by empowering and inspiring women in the manufacturing industry through recognition, research and leadership, as well as by motivating alumnae to pay it forward by mentoring the next generation. The STEP Ahead Awards honor exceptional women in manufacturing and motivate them to mentor the next generation through an annual awards gala and associated leadership training program. The stories of these women and the leadership they show will help inspire next-generation female leaders in manufacturing and support current female talent within the industry. In the program’s first five years, STEP Ahead Award winners impacted more than 300,000 individuals — from peers in the industry to school-age children.
“The 2022 STEP Ahead Honorees and Emerging Leader awardees are excellent representatives of the exciting opportunities available in manufacturing,” said Denise Rutherford, 2022 STEP Ahead chair. “These remarkable women and the leadership they show help inspire next generation of female leaders to consider careers in manufacturing.”
“The STEP Ahead Awards are central to the industry’s efforts to recognize and empower women,” added MI President Carolyn Lee. “Our Honorees and Emerging Leaders serve as role models and have their own multiplier effect on the number of women in the workforce, paying it forward to help others find their way into a successful, rewarding career in modern manufacturing. After 10 years of STEP Ahead Awards, we’ve honored more than 1,100 women leaders in manufacturing, who in turn have impacted hundreds of thousands of individuals through mentoring and volunteer work. We’re so proud of all these women, and we can’t wait to see what STEP and its Honorees and Emerging Leaders will accomplish in the next 10 years.”
The biggest challenge facing manufacturers continues to be the shortage of skilled talent to fill open positions. Manufacturers can close the skills gap by 50 percent simply by bringing 10 percent more women into the industry. Women account for about half of the U.S. labor force but represent less than one-third of the manufacturing workforce. STEP Ahead empowers and inspires women in the manufacturing industry. The goal is to build networks for women to have support in their industry and to elevate the role models who can motivate and mentor the next generation.
On April 28, the MI will recognize 130 recipients of the STEP Ahead Awards in Washington, D.C. The STEP Ahead Awards program will highlight each honoree and emerging leader’s story, including their accomplishments in manufacturing.
