WILMINGTON, Del., Sept. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AstraZeneca , a global leader in the pharmaceutical industry, has been recognized for the fifth consecutive year for its commitment to work-life balance by being named one of the "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers" by Working Mother magazine.
While AstraZeneca provides numerous programs designed to meet the needs of its employees, this year the company received recognition from Working Mother for offering flexible work arrangements - child care, parental leaves and advancement of women. A noteworthy number of AstraZeneca employees utilize formal and informal teleworking, flextime and compressed workweeks throughout the year.
AstraZeneca's day care center, which offers full-time care for young children and infants, as well as a summer day camp for school-age children, was also highlighted. Additionally, the company subsidizes 90 percent of the cost for up to 10 days of back-up in-home or center-based childcare for well and sick children per year for all of its US employees. This program can also be used for eldercare.
"AstraZeneca strives to recognize and meet both the work related and personal needs of its employees," said Tony Zook, President and Chief Executive Officer, AstraZeneca, U.S. "By providing programs and resources that support a flexible and inclusive workplace culture, we can accomplish our collective goal of improving patient health."
Wendi Pedicone, Communications Specialist for AstraZeneca and mother of four, said she is able to utilize flexible work arrangements while simultaneously receiving chemotherapy and raising her children. After discovering she had advanced stage breast cancer at an on-site employee health screening, Pedicone has been able to telework and maintain a flexible schedule that allows her to work in the evening, on the days when she receives treatments during daytime hours. She also has attended AstraZeneca-sponsored seminars to learn more about selecting and funding her children's college education.
"I am extremely fortunate to work for a company that holds my health and responsibility to my family at the level of highest importance," said Pedicone. "Through these programs, AstraZeneca has created a caring culture that begins within the company and extends to its patients."
Working Mother's "100 Best Companies" list will appear in the October 2006 issue of the publication.
About AstraZeneca:
AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of $23.95 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infection products. In the United States, AstraZeneca is a $10.77 billion healthcare business with more than 12,000 employees. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4Good Index.
For more information about AstraZeneca, please visit: http://www.astrazeneca-us.com.
About Working Mother
Founded in 1979, Working Mother magazine reaches nearly 3 million readers and is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers. Its 21-year signature initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, is the most important benchmark for work/life practices in corporate America. The publication also releases the annual list of the Best Companies for Women of Color in the June issue. Working Mother is published by Working Mother Media (WMM), which also owns the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), NAFE Magazine, the annual 100 Best Companies WorkLife Congress, as well as the Best Companies for Women of Color Multicultural Conference and regional Town Halls. This year, WMM launched its Best Small Companies for Working Mothers initiative.
AstraZenecaCONTACT: Abigail Baron, AstraZeneca, +1-302-885-3578,Abigail.Baron@astrazeneca.com
Web site: http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/
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