Pensions & Investments, a leading financial media outlet, recognized the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust (HIT) as one of the Best Places to Work in Management, highlighting the HIT's success at building and retaining a diverse workplace.

This is the first time that the HIT is being recognized in the Pensions & Investments Best Places to Work program, securing a spot among midsize employers.

"Human capital is the most critical capital in the financial services sector," said Steve Coyle, CEO at the HIT. "Being mindful of our employees and the diversity of our workplace have been at the center of our success from the outset."

In an article on featured companies in its latest issue, Pensions & Investments magazine, wrote: "Any company that makes it onto a list of great places to work is likely to share traits with fellow firms: supportive management, good benefits — including a healthy work-family balance — and community involvement. Employees at the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust, however, also get the unique benefit of seeing the results of their labors directly impact thousands of union men and women."

The HIT is a fixed-income investment firm managing more than $6 billion for some 390 investors, largely union and public pension plans. The HIT specializes in socially responsible, economically targeted investing that has financed the construction and rehabilitation of more than 107,000 housing units, most of which are affordable for working families.

In a separate article, Pensions & Investments featured the HIT as a leader in workplace diversity. The article noted that having a diverse team can contribute to an organization's bottom line, noting it "pays dividends that are priceless."

When "different people from different backgrounds and norms come to the table with different information (you're) going to end up with better insight, maybe poke more holes in an area," the magazine noted, quoting Thalia B. Lankin, Chief Business Development officer at the HIT.

Pensions and Investments drew special attention to the fact that, at the HIT, the percentage of women across the firm and the percentage of women on the executive team are nearly identical — 56 percent and 54 percent, respectively.

In an industry often challenged to achieve diversity in the workplace, the HIT prides itself as a destination workplace for women and people of color.

Pensions & Investments quoted Erica Khatchadourian, Chief Financial Officer at the HIT, saying, "I think that helps a lot when senior management is somewhat representative of (the) full staff. Someone can always identify with somebody."

For more information on the HIT, please visit www.aflcio-hit.com.