(COLUMBIA, S.C.)—Parker Poe has been named the small business recipient of the annual South Carolina Excellence in Workplace Diversity Award from the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.
Parker Poe was one of 15 outstanding nominees from across the Palmetto State when the award was presented at the Chamber’s 9th annual awards luncheon held on September 10 in Columbia.
“We’re extremely honored to be recognized by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce for our work in building an increasingly diverse and inclusive workforce, as well as providing an environment where everyone has an opportunity to succeed,” said Sidney Evering, Parker Poe’s Director of Diversity and Special Counsel in the firm’s Columbia office. “We are also proud that our commitment to diversity and inclusion is continuing to result in our ability to more effectively represent our clients and meet their needs.
Parker Poe, which employs 71 people in its South Carolina offices, implemented its Diversity Committee in 2006, which is made up of attorneys and staff throughout the firm. Parker Poe was one of the first law firms in the Carolinas to commit to such central oversight of diversity and inclusion initiatives.
“Because a diverse and inclusive workplace is the responsibility of everyone, we encourage all our attorneys and staff members to play an active role in creating an environment where all employees are respected, encouraged and provided opportunities to achieve their highest potential,” Evering said.
Parker Poe also won the Chamber award in 2009, and was the first-ever recipient of the Charlotte Chamber’s Belk Innovation in Diversity Award in 2008 for retaining, mentoring and developing careers for minorities and women at the Firm.
About the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce
The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, the nation’s first state chamber Accredited with Distinction by the U.S. Chamber, is the state’s largest statewide broad-based business and industry trade association representing more than 6,500 member companies and more than 600,000 member employees, with 90 percent of membership comprised of small businesses. As the unified voice for business and industry, the Chamber is a catalyst for increasing per capita income and enhancing the state’s global competitiveness in order to improve the quality of life for all South Carolinians.
About Parker Poe
Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP has 190 lawyers in five offices located in major markets across North Carolina and South Carolina. The Firm provides legal counsel to large commercial and public organizations on litigation, corporate and regulatory matters. For more information, please visit www.parkerpoe.com.