BENTON HARBOR, Mich., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Whirlpool Corporation CEO Marc Bitzer announced plans to become the newest member of the Catalyst® CEO Champions For Change. This public confirmation to increasing Whirlpool Corporation's female representation in executive and senior-level positions helps to ensure accelerated inclusion of women, including women of color, in senior roles during the next five years.

Catalyst CEO Champions For Change is a global diversity and inclusion initiative that aims to advance more women into leadership positions. Bitzer's personal commitment will involve: actively sponsoring female employees at Whirlpool Corporation, acting as a role model for positive change, empowering women in their careers, encouraging inclusivity in the workplace, and holding himself and other company leaders accountable.

"More female leaders will only make Whirlpool Corporation stronger," said Bitzer.  "With millions of consumers using our products everyday around the world, our company benefits from a diverse employee base that mirrors those consumers we serve. This public pledge reinforces our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion which has been a core value of the company for decades."

Bitzer was, in part, inspired to join this progressive initiative by company activities in recognition of Women's History Month. The Whirlpool Women's Network (WWN) Employee Resource Group is currently sponsoring an internal program called Challenge for Change, which involves 30 days of activities to raise awareness of how all employees play a role in creating a better workplace for women.

"This announcement speaks volumes about Whirlpool Corporation's commitment to creating a diverse and positive work environment for women. I'm proud to work for a company that today takes a public stance on gender equality but is also serious about incorporating overall D&I into its long-term global people strategy," said Jill Kissack, senior director HR and co-lead of the Whirlpool Women's Network (WWN) employee resource group.

Kristy Proos, investor relations director and co-lead for the WWN added, "By acknowledging the benefits of having women in leadership roles, Marc Bitzer truly exemplifies the company's values and priorities."

Catalyst CEO Champions For Change launched on International Women's Day 2017. More than 50 high-profile CEOs, whose companies represent more than 9 million employees and $1.7 trillion in global revenue, have signed onto the Catalyst CEO Champions For Change initiative, pledging to increase representation of all women in senior positions and on company boards. Participants share corporate data related to the advancement of female employees to encourage transparency and accountability.

Click here to learn more about Catalyst CEO Champions For Change.

About Whirlpool Corporation 
Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is the world's leading major home appliance company, with approximately $21 billion in annual sales, 92,000 employees and 70 manufacturing and technology research centers in 2017. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, Jenn-Air, Indesit and other major brand names in nearly every country throughout the world. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com, or find us on Twitter at @WhirlpoolCorp.

SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation