[Adopted 5-2-2007 by L.L. No. 3-2007]
The Common Council of the City of Ithaca is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workforce and desires to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace by publicly recognizing individuals, groups, or departments who have excelled in respecting differences, promoting inclusion, and acting as a role model for others. The purpose of the Diversity and Inclusion Award is to recognize the efforts and accomplishments of a group of employees, an individual employee, or a department by rewarding and highlighting exceptional efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in the workforce.
There is hereby created a Diversity and Inclusion Award within the City of Ithaca which will be awarded annually to that individual, group, or department that the City of Ithaca Workforce Diversity Committee, in its sole discretion, has selected from among the nominees presented to it.
Nominations for the Diversity and Inclusion Award may be made in writing during the month of June by any employee, group of employees, the Workforce Diversity Committee as a whole, or by any of its members. The nomination shall discuss the reason the nominee should be awarded the Diversity and Inclusion Award, specifically addressing one or more of the criteria in § 90-78.
A. 
Proactively reaching out to meet the needs of underrepresented populations (e.g., people of color, youths, seniors, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender people and people with disabilities).
B. 
Proactively learning about diversity; educating City employees, members of boards and committees and other volunteers; and/or promoting acceptance of the differences of others within our workforce and our community.
C. 
Striving to embody the attributes detailed in the Workforce Diversity Plan.
D. 
Strengthening the City's work environment, government, and ability to serve the City's constituents by actively seeking employees and volunteers with diverse backgrounds, developing and maintaining a work environment that supports and nurtures every individual throughout his or her tenure with the City, continuing to develop laws, policies and procedures governing the City's workforce and the City of Ithaca that are mindful and inclusive of its diverse communities.
The Diversity and Inclusion Award shall consist of a plaque and an award of $500 which shall be used to attend a diversity seminar, conference, educational forum or similar activity; to purchase books, videos or other material promoting diversity; for outreach efforts for the purpose of further increasing diversity in the workplace; for purposes of providing services that are inclusive for a diverse constituent population; or for any other diversity purpose approved by the Workforce Diversity Committee.
There shall be a plaque installed in an appropriate place in City Hall where the name of the individual, group, or department who has received the Diversity and Inclusion Award each year will be permanently inscribed. Each year the name of the recipient shall also be prominently displayed on the City of Ithaca Web site.