Shawarma Press, the first authentic Shawarma franchise in the U.S., was named the winner of a Silver Stevie Award in the Diversity & Inclusion category in the 21st Annual American Business Awards. The American Business Awards are the U.S.A.’s premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S.A. are eligible to submit nominations – public and private, for-profit, and non-profit, large and small.
More than 3,700 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories, including Startup of the Year, Executive of the Year, Best New Product or Service of the Year, Marketing Campaign of the Year, Thought Leader of the Year, and App of the Year, among others. Shawarma Press was nominated in the Diversity & Inclusion category and won the Silver Award for its commitment to making diversity and inclusion part of its culture for employees and guests at all its restaurant locations.
“We are very honored to receive this award because we have worked very hard to make diversity and inclusion a priority,” says Shawarma Press co-founder Sawsan Abublan. “We want to thank the judges for recognizing our efforts to make diversity and inclusion a significant part of our values and mission, and we encourage all businesses no matter how small to make this part of their culture because EDI is commitment that pays off at so many levels.”
More than 230 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this year’s Stevie Award winners. The judges’ comments were effusive, including one who remarked “Shawarma Press proves its commitment to DEI by recruiting and training people from diverse backgrounds. As part of their community outreach program, they support members regardless of gender, age, color, or ethnicity. They feel strongly about their cause.”
Another judge noted, “Shawarma Press has set the tone so right by having Equity before everything else – EDI it is! They hit the mark by connecting cultural differences through the uniqueness they bring, creating an international variety of cuisine, and making every person and every culture matter! They give from their heart and feed the need and the world with what they are best at with their best team of people. Shawarma Press is a beautiful organization manifesting a solid inclusivity and a culture of giving!”
Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word meaning “crowned,” the awards will be presented to winners at a gala ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York on Tuesday, June 13.
“It is very gratifying for us to be able to recognize the achievements of such a wide variety of organizations, teams, and individuals in the 21st ABAs, and we look forward to bringing them together in New York on June 13 to celebrate with them,” says Maggie Miller, president of the Stevie Awards.
