Diversity & Inclusion

WASHINGTON -- The nation’s court is set to hear arguments on Tuesday in a decade-old legal fight that could cost Wal-Mart Stores billions of dollars if the 500,000 women claiming sex bias are allowed to band together in a class action.

Wal-Mart is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to end the massive sex discrimination lawsuit in which the women are claiming that the retailer favors men over women in pay and promotions.

Washington, D.C. -- The nation’s court is set to hear arguments on Tuesday in a decade-old legal fight that could cost Wal-Mart Stores billions of dollars if the 500,000 women claiming sex bias are allowed to band together in a class action.

Wal-Mart is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to end the massive sex discrimination lawsuit in which the women are claiming that the retailer favors men over women in pay and promotions.
 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Brown-Forman announced today the appointment of Lawson Whiting as managing director Western Europe, based in London, effective May 1.

NEW YORK -- Teen fashion retailer Delia's has announced the appointment of two shareholder representatives to its board of directors effective March 25. The two new directors are Michael Zimmerman, the founder and CEO of Prentice Capital Management, LP, and Mario Ciampi, the managing partner of Prentice Capital Management, LP. Zimmerman will also serve as a member of the corporate governance and nominating committee, and Ciampi will be a member of the compensation Committee.

PURCHASE, N.Y. -- PepsiCo has announced the appointment of Maura Abeln Smith to the position of EVP government affairs, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective May 5.  Smith will succeed Larry Thompson, who is retiring from the company to assume a teaching position at the University of Georgia Law School.

Smith, who will report to PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi, will be responsible for the company's worldwide legal function and government affairs organization.

San Diego -- Target Corp. is suing a pro-gay marriage group to get it to stop canvassing outside its San Diego County stores, alleging the group’s activists are driving away customers, the Associated Press said.

SIDNEY, Neb. -- Cabela’s Inc. announced that Beth Pritchard has been appointed to its board of directors.

“I am delighted that Beth has joined our Board,” said Tommy Millner, Cabela’s CEO. “Beth’s impressive retailing expertise, marketing knowledge and leadership experience will be invaluable as we continue to focus on our strategic initiatives and look to profitably expand our retail store count.”

Ronald Sargent and Frank Brown -- the CEO of Staples and the dean of an international business school, respectively -- have been nominated for election to The Home Depot's board of directors at the company’s upcoming annual meeting on June 2.

Separately, David Batchelder has informed the company that he has decided not to stand for re-election at the annual meeting. Batchelder, founder and principal of Relational Investors LLC, has been a director since 2007.

Atlanta -- The Home Depot board member David H. Batchelder has decided against standing for re-election. The company said Thursday that it is nominating Staples chairman and CEO Ronald L. Sargent and former accounting and consulting company executive J. Frank Brown for seats.

Batchelder, 61, has been a Home Depot board member since 2007. He is the founder and principal of Relational Investors LLC.

Sargent, 55, has served as Staples' CEO since 2002 and as chairman since 2005.

PLANO, Texas -- JCPenney announced that has been named the number one retailer on DiversityInc's annual ranking of "Top 50 Companies for Diversity," which recognizes leading organizations for best practices in diversity management. This is the second consecutive year that the company has earned its place on the list, moving up 11 spots to No. 35 overall. The company also snagged the seventh position on DiversityInc.'s "Top 10 Companies for Latinos."