Chico's FAS, Inc. Celebrates International Women's Day

FORT MYERS, Fla., March 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Chico's FAS, Inc. (NYSE: CHS) is today celebrating International Women's Day with special events that promote and celebrate women empowerment and the Company's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. The Company also announced that in recognition of its accomplishments in these areas, Chico's FAS been named one of the 2019 NAFE Top Companies for Executive Women by the National Association for Female Executives in partnership with Working Mother.

"As a company founded by a woman, female empowerment is at the core of Chico's FAS and an area of action and achievement across our organization," said Shelley Broader, CEO and President of the Company. "We are committed to continuing to foster a diverse, inclusive environment that celebrates individuality, influences our culture and innovates the way we work, serve our customers and create value."

International Women's Day

In celebration of International Women's Day, at its corporate headquarters in Fort Myers, FL:

• Chico's FAS is hosting a yoga session for associates. In addition to bringing a morning of wellness, the event symbolizes the importance of gender balance within organizations and reinforces the International Women's Day 2019 campaign theme, #BalanceforBetter.
• Chico's FAS associates will be encouraged to showcase diversity within the organization by reproducing the Company's logo using a mosaic of individual employee photographs.
• Seven women-owned food trucks will be on-site during lunchtime with menus designed around women empowerment themes.
• Chico's FAS produced a video featuring Company leaders and associates and the positive impact they have had on individual women through their charitable activities and community outreach. The video is being shared internally to employees as well as externally on the Company's social media channels.

Each of the Company's three brands will also be engaging with customers through social media and via email with messages that recognize the importance of International Women's Day and the confidence, spirit and power of women.

2019 NAFE Top Companies for Executive Women

On March 5, 2019, Chico's FAS was named one of the top 70 companies for executive women by NAFE and Working Mother. This is the second consecutive year that Chico's FAS has received this award.

The recognition acknowledges U.S. corporations where there is a strong focus on best practices that demonstrate effectiveness in moving women to senior ranks, including mentoring, sponsorship, involvement in employee-resource groups and leadership-development training. It also highlights company benefits, including flexibility, corporate culture, and CEO involvement in advancing women. The NAFE Top 70 Companies is featured in the April/May issue of Working Mother.

With an executive team and Board of Directors composed of 57% and 56% women, respectively, Chico's FAS is consistently recognized for its commitment to diversity and attracting, retaining and supporting female talent.

Ms. Broader stated, "We are pleased to receive this recognition, which reflects our belief that diversity and inclusion are important corporate values. Women drive 70% of consumer purchases, through a combination of influence and buying power. It only makes good business sense to have decisions effecting those products in their hands, too."

"In 2019, a woman's journey up the corporate ladder still differs from a man's, but the Top Companies stand out in their application of remedies," says NAFE President Dr. Betty Spence. "They are models of how to progressively move women into senior roles, as reflected in their strong representation in the leadership ranks."

"The 2019 NAFE Top Companies continue to tell a progressive story about what organizations are doing to move women up into executive positions," says Subha V. Barry, President of Working Mother Media. "While the results are encouraging, there is still much work to do. There are still too few women serving as CEOs, managing large asset portfolios, and seated on boards of directors, but the NAFE Top Companies are paving the way for the advancement of women."

In addition to the 2019 and 2018 NAFE/Working Mother recognitions, Chico's FAS has received numerous other awards and acknowledgements for its excellence in female leadership:

• Ranked #1 by Ledbetter, Most Female Representation in Senior Management Positions, (2017)
• 20/20 Women on Boards, Board of Directors Gender Diversity Recognition, (2012-2017)
• Women Executive Leadership Florida Corporate Salute Elevate Award, Advancement of Gender Diversity in the Boardroom and C-suite, (2017)
• Women's Forum of New York Corporate Champion, Accelerating Gender Parity in the Boardroom, (2017)

Empowerment of women has also been at the heart of the Company's corporate giving mission, Chico's FAS Cares. Through brand and corporate cause-related initiatives, Chico's FAS continues to pursue corporate citizenship partnerships that share the Company's focus on supporting women's health, well-being and empowerment.  Examples include Chico's FAS's national and local Fort Myers, Florida partnerships with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity International, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, the American Red Cross and I Support the Girls.

ABOUT CHICO'S FAS, INC.           

The Company, through its brands – Chico's, White House Black Market and Soma is a leading omnichannel specialty retailer of women's private branded, sophisticated, casual-to-dressy clothing, intimates and complementary accessories.

As of February 2, 2019, the Company operated 1,418 stores in the U.S. and Canada and sold merchandise through 83 international franchise locations in Mexico. 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. For more detailed information on the Company, please go to 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.

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SOURCE Chico's FAS, Inc.