SWE Detroit Names Valeo ‘Outstanding Corporate Partner’ for 2015

TROY, Mich. - June 5, 2015 - PRLog -- Valeo has earned the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Detroit Section inaugural “Outstanding Corporate Partner” award for 2015. Françoise Colpron, Group President Valeo North America, accepted the award on behalf of Valeo at the SWE Detroit Annual Awards Banquent on June 4, in Dearborn, Mich.

In selecting the SWE Detroit 2015 Outstanding Corporate Partner, the organization’s Executive Council reviewed the nominations and considered to what extent each nominated organization contributed to the Section over the past year.

According to SWE Detroit, Valeo was nominated based on the company’s advocacy for diversity and women in STEM-based careers, a position aligned with the SWE Mission. Valeo’s contribution to COMPES 2015 also was a factor.

Valeo was the host of the 2015 COMPES (Coalition of Minority Professional Engineering Societies) Personal Development Conference on April 18 at its North America headquarters in Troy, Mich., and provided programming including the Keynote Address delivered by Ms. Colpron and two technical sessions, “Driver Assistance Systems,” presented by Heinz Mattern, Comfort and Driving Assistance R&D Director – Valeo North America, and a panel discussion titled “Career Stretching: How Diverse Assignments Strengthen Your Career Muscles,” that included Zobeida Gutierrez, Director, Quality – Valeo North America.

“Based on what the SWE Detroit Executive Council has seen of Valeo this year, we felt it was appropriate to recognize the company with this award,” said SWE Detroit President Christine Cabrera.

“We are honored and humbled to receive this award,” said Ms. Colpron. “Valeo believes that diversity, in all its dimensions, is a means to drive innovation and stimulate creativity. We value our association with the Society of Women Engineers and our mutual commitment to providing opportunities through diversity.”

About Valeo: Valeo is an automotive supplier, partner to all automakers worldwide. As a technology company, Valeo proposes innovative products and systems contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions and to the development of intuitive driving.  In 2014, the Group generated sales of €12.7 billion ($16.7 billion*) and invested over 10 percent of its original equipment sales in research and development.  Valeo has 133 production sites, 50 research and development centers and 15 distribution platforms and employs 78,500 people in 29 countries throughout the world.  Valeo is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange and is a member of the CAC 40 index.

In North America, Valeo’s regional headquarters are located in Troy, Mich., and the company has 16 production sites and five research and development centers.  The company employs 11,779** people across the United States and Mexico and was responsible for 20 percent of the Group’s 2014 global annual original equipment sales, contributing €2.267 billion ($3 billion*).

More information about the Valeo Group and its activities can be found on the Internet at www.valeo.com

*Currency conversion based on the average of the 2014 month-end FX Euro to USD of 1.3177.

**Total number of employees as of end of December 31, 2014.

About SWE Detroit: The Society of Women Engineers stimulates women to achieve full potential in careers as engineers and leaders, expands the image of the engineering profession as a positive force in improving the quality of life, and demonstrates the value of diversity. www.swedetroit.org

For more information, please contact:
Daniel Saad, Regional Communications Manager – Valeo North America
Phone: +1 (248) 619-8377
email: dan.saad@valeo.com