Chico's FAS, Inc. Named A 2021 Top 75 Company For Executive Women By Seramount

NEW YORK, Nov. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Chico's FAS, Inc. (Chico's, White House Black Market and Soma) was named to Seramount's 2021 Top 75 Companies for Executive Women list today.

This is the most definitive list of top workplaces for women who want to advance through the corporate ranks. It celebrates companies that champion women's advancement, with a focus on succession planning, profit-and-loss role, gender pay parity, support programs, and work-life balance programs. Seramount continues to explore ways organizations can move more women into top positions, while highlighting the successes at these trailblazing companies.

"Chico's FAS is comprised of 3 unique brands each thriving in their own market white space, founded by women, led by women," says Chico's FAS, Inc. CEO and President Molly Langenstein. "Our company vision is a world where women never have to compromise, which is why we provide solutions, build communities and create experiences to bring women confidence and joy. This equal opportunity work environment as well as advocacy by our male team members has allowed us to build a company where 69% of our officers are women. It is for these reasons that we are continually recognized by organizations like Seramount."

Highlights of the 2021 Top 75 Companies for Executive Women include:

• The percentage of women corporate executives increased 3 percentage points to 34 percent versus 31 percent in 2020. Female board of directors also increased 5 percentage points to 36 percent from 31 percent in 2020.
• Female executives responsible for divisions worth more than $1 billion increased to 37 percent from 30 percent in 2020.
• Corporate executives with P&L responsibilities increased 3 percentage points to 30 percent versus 27 percent in 2020.
• Sixty-eight percent of the Top 75 Companies for Executive Women offer formal sponsorship, up from 60 percent in 2020.

As one of the leading fashion retailers in North America, Chico's FAS, Inc. has also been ranked among America's Best Employers for Women for two consecutive years by Forbes. The company boasts impressive statistics that speak to a culture that cultivates robust female talent across all levels of the three brands:

-  96% of Chico's FAS associates are female
-  92% of Chico's FAS management is female
-  69% of Chico's FAS officers are female 
-  98% of Chico's FAS field leadership is female
-  Both the Executive Chair of the Board and the CEO/President are women

In fact, Chico's FAS recently launched an evergreen marketing and social media campaign called Women: Power in the Numbers as a reminder of the brand's core tenet of female empowerment. Chico's FAS also provides its corporate and field employees benefits that support women's work-life balance, including 8 weeks of paid maternity leave along with an onsite daycare facility at its corporate headquarters to support their transition back to work. Chico's FAS has an on-site Health Center at its corporate headquarters and Winder, GA distribution center to address concerns ranging from stress management and nutritional counseling to general practitioner appointments and wellness exams. Lastly, Chico's FAS Inc.'s corporate campus has amenities designed to take the stress out of managing everyday life including a fitness center, dry-cleaning, auto detailing, and a weekly fresh flower market.

The full list of companies can be found HERE.

"Our 2021 Top 75 Companies for Executive Women initiative reveals encouraging increases in the number of women who are in senior leadership roles and running major divisions," says Dr. Betty Spence, Head of Women's Advancement at Seramount. "We have noted a correlation between these increases and new emphasis placed on formal sponsorship programs at 68 percent of the Top Companies, and we applaud their efforts in ensuring that women have advocates for their advancement."

Methodology
The 2021 Top 75 Companies application includes more than 200 questions on topics including female representation at all levels, but especially the corporate officer and profit-and-loss leadership ranks. The application, based on 2020 data, tracks and examines how many employees have access to programs and policies that promote advancement of women and how many employees take advantage of them, plus how companies train managers to help women advance. To be considered, companies must have a minimum of two women on their boards of directors, a US-based CEO, and at least 500 US employees.

ABOUT CHICO'S FAS, INC.
Chico's FAS is a Florida-based fashion company founded in 1983 on Sanibel Island, Fla. The Company reinvented the fashion retail experience by creating fashion communities anchored by service, which put the customer at the center of everything we do. As one of the leading fashion retailers in North America, Chico's FAS is a company of three unique brands – Chico's, WHBM and Soma – each thriving in their own white space, founded by women, led by women, providing solutions that millions of women say give them confidence and joy.

Our Company has a passion for fashion, and each day, we provide clothing, shoes and accessories, intimate apparel and expert styling in our brick-and-mortar boutiques, digital online boutiques and through Style Connect, the Company's proprietary digital styling tool that enables customers to conveniently shop wherever, whenever and however they prefer.

As of October 30, 2021, the Company operated 1,279 stores in the U.S. and sold merchandise through 59 international franchise locations in Mexico and 2 domestic franchise airport locations.  The Company's merchandise is also available at www.chicos.com, www.chicosofftherack.com, www.whbm.com and www.soma.com as well as through third-party channels.

To learn more about Chico's FAS, please visit our corporate website at www.chicosfas.com. The information on our corporate website is not, and shall not be deemed to be, a part of this press release or incorporated into our federal securities law filings.

About Seramount
Seramount, now part of EAB, is a strategic professional services firm dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. Over four decades, partnering with some of the most iconic companies in the world, we've built a deep, data-driven understanding of the employee experience, which lays the groundwork for everything we do. Our comprehensive DE&I toolkit includes actionable research and insights, membership, strategic guidance and consulting, and inspiring events, meeting each client's needs no matter where they are on their journey and guiding them along an ever-changing landscape. Seramount has empowered over 450 organizations to realize the business benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Learn more at seramount.com.

Press Contacts
Chico's FAS, Inc.
Sheila Smith, ssmith@sequel-inc.com

Seramount
Stefanie McNamara, stefanie.mcnamara@seramount.com

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SOURCE Chico’s FAS, Inc.