Allstate Named One of Working Mother Magazine's 2005 Best Companies f

Allstate Named One of Working Mother Magazine's 2005 Best Companies for Women of Color

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    NORTHBROOK, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 16, 2005--Working Mother magazine named Allstate Insurance Company a "Best Company for Women of Color" for the second consecutive year. Only seven other companies were named to this exclusive list, with Allstate being the only Illinois-based company.
    "The companies on our list are leaders in diversity," said Della de Lafuente, deputy editor, Working Mother magazine. "They don't just pay lip service to this effort. They have measures in place to make sure that women of color have the same opportunities for career advancement as everyone else."
    African American, Asian American, Latina and Native American women make up 20 percent of Allstate's workforce. Working Mother noted that opportunities for career advancement and the work/life programs to care for extended family were particularly important to these groups.
    Mariana Rogers, a bilingual claims manager for Allstate and mother of a 2-year-old son, will be featured in the June edition of Working Mother. "At Allstate there are many opportunities for the advancement of women and women of color. I am living proof," said Rogers. "I supervise a team of 22 employees and can manage my team more effectively due to the support I receive from Allstate leadership. They provide me with flexible work options that help me to care for my son and financial support to pursue my college degree. While I'm at work I can focus on my responsibilities and be more productive without any distractions."
    According to Working Mother magazine, women of color at Allstate were enthusiastic about career opportunities, family-care programs and Allstate's commitment to diversity. Ninety percent of employees that completed Working Mother's 2005 survey said they feel Allstate provides a supportive work environment for women and minorities. In 2004, 95 percent of the women of color that completed the survey said they were proud to tell others they work for the company, and 96 percent plan to continue their careers at Allstate.
    "Allstate does careful tracking of employee development plans and has formal succession plans to ensure that women participate in and benefit from leadership and management training," said Joan Crockett, senior vice president, human resources, Allstate. "We know that managers are key to our success, so they are assessed yearly through a leadership survey. Their pay is affected by their ability to create a high-performance work environment that allows all employees, including women of color, to maximize their potential. Diversity training is required for all leaders and employees."
    Allstate also extends its support to women in the community, via The Allstate Foundation, by funding and providing scholarships for the women's senior leadership development program at the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management's Center for Executive Women. This program empowers women to take leadership roles in their organizations.

    Methodology:

    To apply for the list, Allstate provided Working Mother magazine with detailed information -- including the number of women of color employed and hired in 2004 and the number who hold high-ranking positions. In addition, Allstate employees responded to a confidential employee survey revealing how they see the company, their managers and their own prospects for success within the company.
    Working Mother's 2005 Best Companies for Women of Color will appear in the magazine's June issue, on newsstands May 24, and at www.workingmother.com. This feature also will be available online for the first time in Spanish. For pictures and video of Allstate working mothers, visit www.allstate.com/media.

    The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the "You're In Good Hands With Allstate(R)" slogan, Allstate helps individuals in approximately 17 million households protect what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow through approximately 13,600 exclusive agencies and financial professionals in the U.S. and Canada. Customers can access Allstate products and services such as auto insurance and homeowners insurance through Allstate agencies, or in select states at allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate(R). Encompass(SM) and Deerbrook(R) Insurance brand property and casualty products are sold exclusively through independent agents. Allstate Financial Group provides life and supplemental accident and health insurance, annuity, banking and retirement products designed for individual, institutional and worksite customers that are distributed through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, financial institutions and broker-dealers.

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CONTACT: The Allstate Corporation Marissa Quiles, 847-402-5600

KEYWORD: ILLINOIS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: INSURANCE HUMAN RESOURCES ADVERTISING/MARKETING BANKING CONSUMER/HOUSEHOLD PHOTO PHOTOWIRE SOURCE: The Allstate Corporation PHOTO: 45257

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