Metlife Joins Catalyst CEO Champions For Change

NEW YORK, June 27 -- MetLife, a provider of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs, issued the following news release:

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- CEO Michel Khalaf Signs Pledge to Work to Accelerate Diversity, Inclusion and Gender Equality in the Workplace

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MetLife announced today that it has joined the Catalyst CEO Champions For Change, a transformational diversity and inclusion project launched by Catalyst, a leading organization dedicated to accelerating the progress of women at work.

MetLife joins more than 60 other global companies that have committed to drive change, specifically pledging that it will work to:

* Accelerate progress in the representation of women, including women of color, in executive and 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 over five years.

* Strengthen the pipeline of women through an annual review of internal diagnostics and use 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 reporting of collective progress.

"Throughout my career, I've always been passionate about advancing women in leadership, and I'm proud that my colleagues at MetLife share this passion," said MetLife President and CEO Michel Khalaf. "I'm honored to join my peers at other companies in signing the CEO Champions For Change pledge, and I look forward to working closely with Catalyst to further strengthen inclusivity as part of MetLife's culture."

MetLife joins the Catalyst CEO Champions For Change initiative just a few months after it became the 27th company, and the first insurer, to join the UN Women Global Innovation Coalition for Change.

"MetLife is committed to advancing gender equality in the workplace and the communities where we operate," said Cindy Pace, MetLife's global chief diversity and inclusion officer. "That commitment is visible in our collaborations with Catalyst and UN Women, and in the programs we offer our employees, the products we develop for our customers, and the way we make an impact on society."

Through its Global Women's Initiative, the company offers a wide array of programs and resources to help women cultivate leadership capabilities and increase their representation in senior roles.

MetLife has earned significant recognition for its diversity and inclusion efforts. For example, the company has been named to the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI) four years in a row.