Last Friday, 21 retail CEOs – including our CEO, Jill Soltau – published an op-ed for CNN urging all U.S. governors to require masks in stores. Many of the CEOs are members of the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), the trade association for retail leaders, and some are members of the RILA Board of Directors, including Jill.
The retail leaders write:
“Promoting safe and responsible work environments for businesses and customers should not be a matter of politics. It is a matter of safety, decency and respect for all. Even though wearing a mask materially reduces the spread of COVID-19, some states have yet to mandate face coverings be worn. This is simply irresponsible and runs counter to basic principles of public well-being.”
“We thank those governors that have led on this issue, putting safety first and requiring individuals to wear a mask when shopping. Respectfully, we request all governors to prioritize the health and safety of our workers and the communities we serve by requiring patrons to wear a mask when visiting our stores. This simple requirement, along with the social distancing measures and sanitization protocols we have implemented in stores, is the best way to minimize risk and dramatically reduce the spread of COVID-19.”
The op-ed was signed by:
- Corie Barry, CEO of Best Buy
- Gary Philbin, president and CEO of Dollar Tree
- Mary Dillon, CEO of Ulta Beauty
- Sonia Syngal, CEO of Gap, Inc.
- Erik Nordstrom, CEO of Nordstrom
- Anthony Hucker, president and CEO of Southeastern Grocers
- Johannes Fieber, CEO of Lidl US
- Dick Johnson, chairman, president and CEO of Foot Locker
- George Sherman, CEO of GameStop
- Dinesh Lathi, president and CEO of Tailored Brands
- Laura Karet, CEO of Giant Eagle
- Jill Soltau, CEO of JCPenney
- Bill Rhodes, chairman, president and CEO of AutoZone
- Chip Bergh, president and CEO of Levi Strauss & Co.
- Gary Muto, CEO of Ascena Retail
- Wade Miquelon, president and CEO of JoAnn Stores
- Sharon Leite, CEO of Vitamin Shoppe
- Javier Quinones, CEO of IKEA US
- Ron Coughlin, CEO of Petco
- JK Symancyk, president and CEO of PetSmart
- Stephen Smith, president and CEO of L.L.Bean
The full piece on CNN can be read here.
JCPenney continues to monitor and follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), going above and beyond to ensure the safety of our associates and our customers. For more information on all the ways we’re keeping our associates and customers safe, please visit our Coronavirus (COVID-19) landing page.
