Jocelyn Egan is a remarkable individual whose influence has earned her the respect and admiration of colleagues internally and externally. Recently promoted to Senior VP, Jocelyn heads up the Solutions team within the ad sales department.

But what distinguishes Jocelyn from Discovery’s many standout moms is not her career success or business brilliance. It is how, despite having faced tremendous personal adversity, she always finds ways to give of herself to others.

A single parent since losing her husband, Jimmy, to cancer on Christmas Day in 1998, Jocelyn’s selflessness has never wavered, from her dedication and love for her three wonderful children to her travels to Nicaragua to build homes for some of the world’s most poverty-stricken communities.

The warm and indelible imprint Jocelyn has made upon the hearts of her peers is as far-reaching as it is deep, which explains the overflow of votes that Discovery’s human resources team received when soliciting nominations for this distinction.

Can’t find time to get a blood test, physical or EKG? Employees at the Silver Spring headquarters and Miami and New York sites of this nonfiction media company simply walk down the hall to their office wellness clinics, which offer free acute and primary care (and basic prescription drugs) to workers and their children over age 14. Since 2004, the clinics have doled out some $7 million in medical care to employee families, which has put money back in parents’ wallets. To improve their mental health, moms join the Working Families Group (a parenting network that debuted in October 2010) and take workshops on women’s finances, home-buying and retirement. Anyone who pays for an exercise class or athletic activity may be reimbursed for 50% of the cost, up to $50 per month.

President & CEO David Zaslav

Senior Executive VP, HR Adria Alpert-Romm

Women managers/execs 53% 

Women among top earners 42% 

Women hires in 2010 61% 

Average weeks of fully paid maternity leave offered 9 

Allows new moms to “phase back” into work with reduced hours? Yes

Offers affinity group for new mothers? Yes

Offers backup childcare? Yes

Employees working flexibly 85%

Every weekday, from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., you can see happy toddlers and preschoolers sprinting around the grounds of this media giant’s headquarters, intent on getting to its fun, colorful child-care center. The staff is trained in early childhood education or childhood development.

President & CEO David Zaslav

Senior Executive VP, HR Adria Alpert-Romm

Offers on-site or near-site childcare Yes

Sponsors backup childcare Yes

Sponsors sick-child care Yes

Sponsors before- or afterschool childcare Yes

Offers business-travel childcare reimbursements Yes

Offers support groups for parents of teens Yes

Offers college coaching No

Offers affinity group for employees with children who have special needs No

Offers scholarships to employees’ family members No

Offers adoption assistance Yes

In 2009, all Discovery Communications employees earned a year-end incentive bonus; a recognition program gave cash and gifts to 1,000+ workers.

Moms cherish this media company's family-friendly atmosphere. If they have a baby, they can take nine fully paid weeks off to bond and enjoy; new fathers and adoptive parents receive three fully paid weeks off. If they need help during maternity leave, they may request the services of an in-home caregiver for $6 per hour. And when they're ready to go back to work, they can reduce their hours for up to four weeks, with no loss in benefits. It's estimated that half of all workers rely on a regular flexible schedule, but the vast majority also employ such arrangements casually. Anyone who works at least 20 hours per week earns health insurance, and there's free primary care at headquarters and in New York City and Miami. For a small fee, a concierge service will tackle parents' to-do lists.

President & CEO David Zaslav

VP, Global Lifeworks & Diversity Evelyne Steward

Women managers, senior managers and corporate execs 52%

Women among top earners 55%

Women on board of directors 0%

Women corporate executive hires in 2009 33%

Women participating in management or leadership training in the past year* 21%

Women participating in formalized executive succession planning last year* 100%

Women promoted last year who utilized a formal flexible work arrangement Not tracked  

Do formal compensation policies reward managers who help women advance? No

*Percentages reflect number of women participants versus company’s total female workforce.

Bicycle and sneaker reimbursements, a car-sharing program and parking discounts for hybrid vehicles help Discovery Communications employees go green.

During a tough economic year in which many companies slashed their work/life budgets, this global media company actually expanded its spending. Last year, it opened a state-of-the-art child-care center at its Silver Spring, MD, headquarters, offering space to 102 children with sliding-scale tuition. Parents at all locations can contact referral services to find child care and are now eligible for ten days of subsidized backup per year (up from five), available in the form of in-home caregiver visits or slots at area centers. At the New York City office, a brand-new on-site health and wellness center saves city moms time by providing preventive care; and life coaching, emotional counseling and work/life balance consultations have been added at headquarters.

President & CEO: David Zaslav

VP, Global Wellness & Work-life Strategies: Evelyne Steward

Women managers/execs: 51%

Women among top earners: 55%

Women on board of directors: 0%

Women corporate executive hires in 2008: 33%

Women participating in management or leadership training in the past year: 5%

Women participating in formalized executive succession planning last year: 49%

Women promoted last year who utilized a formal flexible work arrangement: 80%

Formal compensation policies reward managers who help women advance: No