The Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) named Johnson & Johnson’s (NYSE: JNJ) Women’s Leadership Initiative the first winner of the HBA ACE award. The award recognizes the ‘Advancement, Commitment and Engagement’ of women’s careers in the healthcare industry, which is also the primary mission of the HBA.

Johnson & Johnson’s Women’s Leadership Initiative operates 47 chapters worldwide with members coming from all parts of the company. The Women’s Leadership Initiative launched in 1995, and since that time, “Johnson & Johnson has tracked significant increases in the numbers and percentages of women on the Executive Committee, among company presidents and managing directors outside the U.S., corporate officers, company group chairs, executive and director level women and those with both line and staff management positions.”

According to HBA President Cathy Kerzner, senior vice president and general manager of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals’ (NYSE: WYE) Women’s Health Care Business Unit, “This award is particularly timely in light of recent findings that Fortune 500 companies with more women in their boardrooms and executive offices achieve significantly stronger financial performance than those with lower representation. HBA salutes Johnson & Johnson for the company’s real accomplishments in the advancement of women and the depth, breadth and reach of its global, grassroots programs.”

Kudos to J&J for recognizing the importance of women in business.

Follow the link to read the complete press release from the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Assocation.