WASHINGTON (TIP): Indian American Dr. Rohini Anand, senior vice president corporate responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer for Sodexo, a leading provider of sustainable, integrated facilities management and food service operations, has been appointed as the new Chair of the Catalyst Board of Advisors, which features a variety of senior leaders across Fortune 500 companies, including Coca-Cola Companies, Deloitte, IBM Corporation and Walmart. In this new leadership role, Anand will attend and chair all three Board of Advisors meetings over the next three years, as well as advise Catalyst’s CEO Deborah Gillis on new board members, meeting agendas and other board-related issues.

Founded in 1962, Catalyst is the leading nonprofit organization accelerating progress for women through workplace inclusion. With operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, India, Australia, and Japan, and more than 800 supporting organizations, Catalyst is the trusted resource for research, information, and advice about women at work. Catalyst annually honors exemplary organizational initiatives that promote women’s advancement with the Catalyst Award.

“I am delighted to welcome Rohini Anand as the new chair of the Catalyst Board of Advisors. Rohini is a recognized advocate for gender diversity and inclusion in workplaces,” said Deborah Gillis, President and CEO, Catalyst. “She has been a member of the Catalyst Board of Advisors for many years, bringing a breadth of experience and helping to drive change. I look forward to working with her in this new leadership role that is sure to be incredibly valuable to both the board and Catalyst.”

“I am excited to represent Catalyst and Sodexo in my new role as Chair of the Advisory Board,” said Dr. Anand. “It’s a great honor and I’m looking forward to continuing to advance Catalyst’s mission of accelerating progress for women through workplace inclusion.”

Dr. Anand’s commitment to diversity and inclusion continues to generate success and position Sodexo as a global leader in the space. As Sodexo’s SVP Corporate Responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer, she has helped the company rank among the world’s best. Under Dr. Anand’s leadership, Sodexo received the prestigious 2012 Catalyst Award and has ranked in the top ten for nine consecutive years on the DiversityInc business index of Top Companies for Diversity and Inclusion. In addition, The Human Rights Campaign has given Sodexo a 100 percent rating on its Corporate Equality Index for nine years and Sodexo was named Global Sustainability Industry Leader in its sector for the 12th year in a row by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI).