Grant Thornton named one of the 2016 “Top 60 Companies for Executive Women” by NAFE

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Grant Thornton LLP has been named one of the 2016 “NAFE
Top Companies for Executive Women” by the National Association for
Female Executives, which recognizes American corporations that have
moved women into top executive positions and created a culture that
fosters the careers of talented women.

“Grant Thornton’s consistent ranking on this list reflects our
commitment to building a healthy, high-performance culture where all our
employees, including our female executives, can achieve professional
success,” said Erica O’Malley, national managing partner of Employee
Benefit Plans and People Experience. “Along with new policies such as
Flex Time Off, this important recognition highlights Grant Thornton’s
continued commitment to supporting women in business and is a true
testament to the work that our firm has done to enhance our culture of
trust and empowerment.”

“I am happy to report that female representation in senior management
positions continues to inch up at the NAFE Top Companies,” says Dr.
Betty Spence, NAFE President. “Though progress of women into senior
positions has slowed nationally, the 2016 NAFE Top Companies are leading
the way in moving women in power positions where they have the influence
to innovate and boost profits.”

Highlights of the 2016 NAFE Top 60 Companies are:

• More than half (52 percent) of the companies on the 2016 NAFE Top 60
  have at least four women on their boards of directors. An average of
  28 percent of board of director members are women, compared with 19
  percent at S & P Companies;
• The number of NAFE Top 60 Companies led by women CEOs has dropped two
  percentage points since last year to 8 percent, but still outpaces
  Fortune 500 companies with 5 percent;
• Every NAFE Top Company CEO requires a women’s advancement executive to
  report to him/her on women’s advancement metrics, and 92 percent of
  them review senior-level succession plans for gender equity;
• Women at the NAFE Top Companies last year received 44 percent of
  promotions to the manager level and above. The largest proportion of
  promotions going to women is at the manager level; however, men still
  receive the majority of promotions at all levels.

Subha V. Barry, vice president and general manager, Working Mother
Media, says, “The NAFE Top Companies are where women are increasingly
making the decisions that affect their company’s future and its bottom
line. They are setting standards for advancing women into positions to
lead businesses, set policy and take profit-and-loss responsibility.”

The full list
of this year’s winners is posted on workingmother.com
and on nafe.com.

About the Methodology

The 2016 NAFE Top Companies application includes some 200 questions on
female representation at all levels, especially the corporate officer
and profit-and-loss ranks. The vetting process includes tracking access
and usage of programs and policies that promote the advancement of women
as well as the training and accountability of managers in relation to
the number of women who advance. In order to be eligible for the NAFE
Top Companies survey, entrants must have a minimum of 1,000 employees,
two women on the Board of Directors and be a public or private company.
NAFE also separately names the Top 10 companies in the nonprofit sector.

About Grant Thornton LLP

Founded in Chicago in 1924, Grant
Thornton LLP (Grant Thornton) is the U.S. member firm of Grant
Thornton International Ltd, one of the world’s leading organizations of
independent audit, tax and advisory firms. In the United States, Grant
Thornton has revenue in excess of $1.4 billion and operates 58 offices
with more than 500 partners and 6,400 employees. Grant Thornton works
with a broad range of dynamic publicly and privately held companies,
government agencies, financial institutions, and civic and religious
organizations.

“Grant Thornton” refers to Grant Thornton LLP, the U.S. member firm
of Grant Thornton International Ltd (GTIL). GTIL and the member firms
are not a worldwide partnership. Services are delivered by the member
firms. GTIL and its member firms are not agents of, and do not obligate,
one another and are not liable for one another’s acts or omissions.
Please see grantthornton.com
for further details.

ABOUT NAFE

The National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), founded in 1972,
serves 20,000 members nationwide with networking, tools and solutions to
strengthen and grow their careers and businesses. Working
Mother magazine publishes the annual NAFE Top Companies list. NAFE.com
provides up-to-date information, community for women in business and
access to member benefits. NAFE is a division of Working Mother Media,
owned by the Bonnier Corporation.

Contacts

Grant Thornton LLP
Adam Bond
T 312.602.8332
E adam.bond@us.gt.com