At JCPenney, with a 70 percent female customer base and a workforce comprised of 80 percent women, we know firsthand the power of the female workforce. That’s why we’re excited to be named one of the 2020 Best Companies for Multicultural Women by Working Mother magazine for the third time! The honor recognizes companies that create and use best practices in hiring, retaining, and promoting multicultural women in the United States.
“One of our strongest commitments for our company is to ensure that our stores, offices, and distribution centers are inclusive, and that our associates are free to bring their whole selves to work,” said Misty Tippen, senior manager, inclusion and diversity. “This includes recognizing the incredible contributions that women make on a daily basis at all levels of our organization.”
The Working Mother Research Institute has conducted the initiative since 2003, tracking corporations’ progress in creating cultures that encourage multicultural women to join and rise through the ranks. JCPenney shows great gender equity strength in the following areas:
- Women are represented at every level in our organization
- More than half of CEO Jill Soltau’s direct reports are women
- JCPenney Board of Directors is 45 percent women
- Close to half of our corporate executives are women
“Corporate interest in assessing and promoting multicultural women continues to rise dramatically,” said Subha V. Barry, president of Working Mother Media. “We recognize the significant progress these top companies have made in closing the gap between multicultural women’s readiness to be promoted. The path isn’t easy, but they continue to pave the way toward a more equitable corporate world.”
In addition to JCPenney, the honor went to Capital One, Visa, HP, Johnson & Johnson, Verizon, T-Mobile, and U.S. Bank, among others. This accolade closely follows our recent rank in the Top 50 Most Diverse U.S. Companies – we know our diverse team of associates continues make our company strong, dynamic, and resilient!