H&R Block pledges to advance women in all levels of leadership as a Catalyst CEO Champions for Change participant

Rhea-AI Summary

H&R Block (HRB) celebrates Women’s Equality Day by joining the Catalyst CEO Champions for Change pledge, aiming for increased representation of women in senior leadership and board roles over five years. The pledge commits to improving inclusion metrics, enhancing the pipeline for women, and sharing progress data with Catalyst. Currently, 36% of H&R Block’s leaders and 40% of its board are women, which outperforms the S&P 500. This initiative aligns with H&R Block’s Equality Action Plan, reinforcing its commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Positive

• Joined the Catalyst CEO Champions for Change pledge to enhance diversity and inclusion.
• Current representation: 36% of leaders and 40% of board are women, exceeding S&P 500 averages.
• Commitment to share key representation metrics for progress tracking.

Negative

• None.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Aug. 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Women’s Equality Day is celebrated annually on August 26 to commemorate the passage of the 19th Amendment that provides equal rights to women, including the right to vote. To mark this important day, H&R Block (NYSE: HRB) announces it has joined the Catalyst CEO Champions for Change pledge to increase the representation of women, including women of color, in its senior leadership and board positions. H&R Block joins more than 60 other leading global companies and CEOs that are committing to advance women and share data with Catalyst on the representation of women in their workplaces so collective progress can be tracked, analyzed and reported, with the goal of inspiring other organizations by their progress.

The Catalyst pledge includes a commitment to:

• Accelerate progress in the representation of women, including women of color, in executive/senior level positions over five years.
• Maintain (where strong) or accelerate the representation of women, including women of color, on the Company’s Board of Directors (or equivalent) over five years.
• Strengthen the pipeline of women through an annual review of internal diagnostics and leverage leading practices to address any identified issues.
• Benchmark and track inclusion and improve the culture of inclusion within the organization.
• Share key representation metrics with Catalyst for benchmarking and for anonymized reporting of our collective aggregate progress.

This pledge aligns with H&R Block’s Equality Action Plan, outlining specific actions the company is taking to create racial equality, both within the company and in the communities it serves. It also follows H&R Block’s 100% score on the Corporate Equality Index, as well as its Day of Understanding as a signatory to the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion Pledge, and the creation of Belonging@Block, its diversity, inclusion and belonging council.

“Joining the Catalyst pledge further solidifies our efforts to become a more diverse and inclusive employer -- a place where everyone feels like they belong,” said Jeff Jones, president and CEO of H&R Block. “Representation is a big part of creating that sense of belonging. 36% of our leaders are women as is 40% of our board, and while that is better than the S&P 500, our work is far from done. I personally pledge to work toward stronger representation of all women among our senior leaders, particularly through the inclusion of women of color.”

“Our Catalyst CEO Champions For Change companies represent more than 10 million employees and nearly $3 trillion dollars in revenue globally. The positive ripple effect from their commitment is tremendous in helping to build workplaces where everyone has a fair chance to succeed,” said Lorraine Hariton, president and CEO of Catalyst.

Read the full Catalyst CEO Champions For Change pledge and learn more about H&R Block’s commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging.

About H&R Block
H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB) provides help and inspires confidence in its clients and communities everywhere through global tax preparation, financial services, and small business solutions. The company is disrupting the tax industry by providing consumers price transparency and with digital platforms such as Tax Pro Go^SM. H&R Block believes the best solutions blend digital capabilities with human expertise and care. For more information, get H&R Block News online and follow @HRBlockNews.

 

For further information
Investor Relations:  Colby Brown  |  816-854-4559  |  
Media Relations:  Angela Davied  |  816-854-5798  |

FAQ

What is H&R Block's commitment to diversity as of August 2020?

H&R Block committed to the Catalyst CEO Champions for Change pledge, focusing on increasing women's representation in leadership over five years.

How many women currently serve in leadership positions at H&R Block?

As of August 2020, women represent 36% of H&R Block's leadership positions.

What percentage of H&R Block's board is comprised of women?

40% of H&R Block's board members are women, as reported in August 2020.

What is the goal of the Catalyst pledge that H&R Block joined?

The goal is to accelerate the representation of women, especially women of color, in executive roles over five years.

How does H&R Block plan to track diversity progress?

H&R Block plans to benchmark and share key representation metrics with Catalyst for collective progress tracking.