Together Again: Sharing JCPenney's Vision and Celebrating with Our Partners

I have a long personal history with JCPenney - first as a customer picking out school clothes and posing for family holiday photos, then as a partner during my time at @Levi’s. Now, I’m honored to lead this iconic retailer as CEO and have the pleasure of working closely and learning from our 55,000 associates, our 50+ million customers and hundreds of valued business partners around the globe.

At JCPenney, we are incredibly fortunate to work with a range of business partners – suppliers, vendors, brand partners and more – who share our Company’s commitment to celebrate and serve diverse, working American families. Last month, for the first time as CEO, I had the privilege to bring those partners together for our 2022 Partner Summit.

On June 28, over 600 partners joined us for this virtual session – our first convening since before the pandemic - to learn about the strategy guiding our initiatives and the key investments and innovations underway to better serve our customers. It was also a moment to reflect on and celebrate the incredible progress we have collectively achieved.

Attendees had the opportunity to hear from leaders across the Company about our brand reinvigoration and where we’re headed. Here are a few highlights from the day – principles that ground us and guide how my team and I operate and prioritize each day.

1)???Success starts with talent and the culture. JCPenney is committed to hiring, developing and retaining associates by creating an environment of inclusion and belonging. We want individuals to bring their full selves to work and empower them to give back to their communities, gain new skills and grow their careers. As a people-first organization, we place a strong focus on associate well-being - mentally, physically, emotionally and financially - and are transforming our internal policies and offerings so JCPenney remains an employer of choice.

2)???Omnichannel transformation is the key to growth. Powered by our stores, technology and digital channels, omnichannel is what will enable us to provide seamless end-to-end shopping experiences no matter when, where or how customers engage. We are making significant investments with physical updates to stores and modernizing our technology to leverage artificial intelligence, machine learning and automated supply chains that enable faster fulfillment for our customers. ???

3)???Listen to your loyal customers. Customers know, love and trust our brand. This is a testament to the products and experiences our associates bring to our customers daily. Under Chief Merchandising Officer Michelle Wlazlo’s leadership, we have curated our brands and categories to reflect the lifestyle and needs of our customers. From an increase in activewear, to the expansion of adaptive apparel, to an endless array of formal wear for celebratory moments, JCPenney consistently strives to be the leading retailer for one-stop shopping for diverse families. Our store associates are attuned to feedback and I’m incredibly proud to share that we’ve achieved double-digit improvement in our NPS in the last two years.

For generations, JCPenney has been the shopping destination for America’s working families, with a focus on embracing cultural moments, adapting to fashion trends over the decades and enriching customers’ most special traditions. While we’ve continually evolved over our 120 years to remain relevant to our customers, we’ve held firm in our enduring belief in the power of community, connection and purpose. ?

Our 2022 Partner Summit served as a powerful reminder of how customers, associates and brand partners all play a role in shaping and sustaining JCPenney’s unique place in communities across America. ?As I shared during the Summit, JCPenney is back! We’re investing in our future, loving our customers and continuing on a growth path that will allow us to continue serving our loyal customers.