2024 Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence Ceremony

Deputy Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell will host a ceremony for the 2024 winners of the Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at 1:15 p.m. EST in the Benjamin Franklin Room at the Department of State. Deputy Secretary Campbell will be joined by Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez, Acting Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs Amy Holman, and Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Sarah Morgenthau to recognize six U.S. companies for work overseas that strengthens local communities and exemplifies American values.

The award ceremony is open for press coverage and will be streamed live on the Department homepage and the Department YouTube channel.

Preset time for video cameras is at 12:30 p.m. from the 23rd Street Entrance Lobby. Final access for writers and still photographers is at 1:00 p.m. from the 23rd Street Entrance Lobby.

Media representatives may attend this award ceremony upon presentation of one of the following: (1) a U.S. government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense, or Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identification card, or (3) a letter from the requester’s employer on letterhead verifying his/her employment status as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo identification (driver’s license or passport). Those who do not have a State Department building pass should allow adequate time for security processing at the C Street entrance.

This year commemorates the Award for Corporate Excellence’s 25th year. Established in 1999, ACE recognizes the crucial role U.S. companies play in showcasing high standards of business conduct in a variety of categories. The 2024 ACE categories are Women’s Economic Security, Climate Resilience, and Innovation to Strengthen Communities.

For Women’s Economic Security, the Department is honoring Parker Clay in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Bank of America in India. Parker Clay is a medium-sized American leather goods brand that employs 200 workers at its factory. Over 80% of its employees are women, many of whom are survivors of human trafficking and are earning a paycheck for the first time. Bank of America’s commitment to India goes beyond business. Its social impact initiatives have transformed the lives of over 300,000 women and girls across India, focusing on education, skill development, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, and employment opportunities.

For Climate Resilience, the winners are Rizome, a small company pioneering the use of engineered bamboo in the construction industry from its flagship project in the Philippines, and Newmont Corporation, a global mining company operating in Suriname. Newmont has invested in environmental conservation as well as education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, creating lasting positive impacts — particularly in indigenous communities.

For Innovation to Strengthen Communities, the Department recognizes Koster Keunen, a medium-sized company that created a market for beeswax in seven West African countries. By introducing modern, sustainable techniques, Koster Keunen transformed a previously overlooked by-product of honey production into a new industry. The other winner in this category is Branch of Microsoft Colombia Inc., which over the course of its 32 years in Colombia has partnered with NGOs, universities, companies, big and small, and national and local governments, to expand internet connectivity, build digital skills, and foster economic inclusion for Colombia’s vulnerable and underserved communities.

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. Learn more information about the ACE Award.

For access to images of the award presentations, releasable after the conclusion of the ceremony, contact the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs Press Office at EB-Press-Inquiry@state.gov.