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Tapestry and its brands – Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman – bring the fashion industry together to sign Open to All® pledge

Tapestry, the CFDA and fashion peers support inclusivity on the eve of New York Fashion Week (NYFW)

(New York, NY), SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 – Tapestry, Inc. (NYSE: TPR), a leading New York-based house of modern luxury accessories and lifestyle brands, today announced it is signing the Open to All® pledge, in support of its ethos that when “a business opens its doors to the public, it should be open to all.” Tapestry was joined by over 50 fashion houses and brands, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion and the Open to All® campaign, to make a powerful statement about the industry’s commitment to fostering inclusivity and protecting equality.

This collective effort was inspired by Tapestry’s work with the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion. Founding Open to All® signatories and fellow CEO Action members Levi Strauss & Co. and Gap Inc. (Old Navy), joined Tapestry as they signed the Open to All® pledge alongside ascena retail group (Ann Taylor, Catherines, Justice, Lane Bryant, LOFT, Lou and Grey), Ban.do, Capri Holdings (Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo, Versace), Diane von Furstenberg, Fossil Group (Fossil, Michele, Misfit, Relic, Skagen, Watch Station, Zodiac), H&M Group (H&M, COS, & other Stories), Hudsons Bay Company (Saks Fifth Avenue), Incipio, Inditex (Zara), Keds, Kering, Lifeguard Press, Lenox, Movado, PVH Corp. (Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger), Rag & Bone, Ralph Lauren (Club Monaco), Richemont (Cartier, Chloé, dunhill, IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Montblanc, Officine Panerai, Piaget, Vacheron Constantin, Van Cleef & Arpels), Steve Madden, Tiffany & Co. and The Collected Group (Current Elliott, Equipment, Joie).

Jide Zeitlin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tapestry, Inc. said, “When we founded Tapestry almost two years ago, we asked employees around the world what they wanted our company to stand for. Overwhelmingly, they told us ‘inclusivity,’ to represent the diversity of our employees, our customers and the communities in which we operate. This is an important moment for us to reaffirm our commitment to inclusivity. By joining the CFDA, the Open to All® campaign, and other fashion houses to collectively support and sign the Open to All® pledge, we are sending a message that we will not tolerate discrimination. Together, we are taking a stand for the rights of our customers, our employees and our partners.”

Steven Kolb, President and CEO of the CFDA said, “The CFDA supports Open to All® and thanks Tapestry for its effort in bringing our industry together behind diversity, inclusion, and equality.”

Ineke Mushovic, Executive Director of Open to All® said, “In the two years since Open to All’s inception, we have had over 5,000 companies sign the pledge. We have been inspired and humbled by Tapestry’s leadership and vision. Tapestry has worked beyond the walls of their stores to bring the fashion industry together to join the Open to All® campaign in building a thriving, inclusive, competitive America where customers and employees are valued, respected and welcomed regardless of who they are. This exemplifies the spirit of Open to All® and creates true transformation—especially for everyone out there who is struggling and wants to know where they will be safe, welcomed and accepted.”

On Earth Day 2019, Tapestry launched bold 2025 corporate responsibility goals, including a commitment to build diversity in North America Tapestry and brand leadership teams.  This will be achieved by increasing the number of North America-based ethnic minority leaders to better reflect the company’s general corporate population, and to reduce gender and ethnic differences in the Employee Inclusion Index scores from the Company’s Employee Engagement Survey.

In July 2019, Tapestry joined over 200 companies in signing the Amicus brief – a “friend of the court” brief – to support the protection of the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination under existing federal civil rights laws. Tapestry achieved a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for the fifth consecutive year in 2019, earning the designation as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality. Additionally, Tapestry was listed on the Forbes 2019 “Best Employers for Diversity” list for the second consecutive year. In 2017, Tapestry signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge to reaffirm the company’s commitment towards advancing inclusion and diversity in the workplace. Other highlights include the establishment of an Inclusion Council to ensure that people with diverse perspectives and backgrounds are included in business decisions, inclusion training for all Tapestry employees globally, as well as gender neutral uniform guidelines for store employees.

To engage employees on the importance of dialogue and conversation, Tapestry hosts events celebrating Pride, International Women’s Day and Black History Month, and regularly hosts a discussion series called “Unscripted,” where diverse internal and external leaders share their stories about optimism, innovation and inclusivity. Our brands have shown support for inclusivity with Coach’s “Words Matter” campaign featuring Michael B. Jordan, kate spade new york empowers women to be the heroines of their own stories through social impact programs, the kate spade foundation and on purpose, a social enterprise initiative that has created over 250 full-time jobs, 93 percent of which are held by women in the Abahizi factory in Masoro, Rwanda, and Stuart Weitzman is proud of its inclusive sizing, with sizes ranging from four to 12 in widths of narrow, medium and wide. Learn more at www.tapestry.com/responsibility.


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About Open to All®

Open to All® is the nationwide public engagement campaign to build awareness and understanding about the importance of protecting people from discrimination—and to defend the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All®. The Open to All® coalition consists of more than 5,000 businesses and 200 civil rights and racial justice organizations; lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organizations and community centers; health advocates, disability advocates and faith organizations; and other groups working to protect and strengthen our nation’s nondiscrimination protections and defend the principle that when a business opens its doors to the public, it should be open to all and not discriminate. Visit www.OpenToAll.com/supporters for a full list of supporters.

About CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion

The CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ is the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion within the workplace. This commitment is driven by a realization that addressing diversity and inclusion is not a competitive issue, but a societal issue. Recognizing that change starts at the executive level, more than 700 CEOs of the world’s leading companies and business organizations, are leveraging their individual and collective voices to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace. And because there is a collective opportunity for both CEOs and the workforce to address these challenges, we have created the I Act On pledge for any individual to take.

About Tapestry, Inc.

Tapestry, Inc. is a New York-based house of modern luxury lifestyle brands. The Company’s portfolio includes Coach, kate spade new york and Stuart Weitzman. Our Company and our brands are founded upon a creative and consumer-led view of luxury that stands for inclusivity and approachability. Each of our brands are unique and independent, while sharing a commitment to innovation and authenticity defined by distinctive products and differentiated customer experiences across channels and geographies. To learn more about Tapestry, follow us at www.linkedin.com/company/tapestryinc or visit www.tapestry.com. The Company’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TPR. 

This information to be made available in this press release may contain forward-looking statements based on management’s current expectations. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to statements that can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “can,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “continue,” “project,” “guidance,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “anticipate,” “moving,” “leveraging,” “capitalizing,” “developing,” “drive,” “targeting,” “assume,” “plan,” “build,” “pursue,” “maintain,” “on track,” “well positioned to,” “look forward to,” “to acquire,” “achieve,” “strategic vision,” “growth opportunities” or comparable terms. Future results may differ materially from management’s current expectations, based upon a number of important factors, including risks and uncertainties such as expected economic trends, the ability to anticipate consumer preferences, the ability to control costs and successfully execute our transformation and operational efficiency initiatives and growth strategies and our ability to achieve intended benefits, cost savings and synergies from acquisitions, the impact of tax legislation, etc. Please refer to the Company’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K and its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a complete list of risks and important factors. The Company assumes no obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking statements for any reason, except as required by law.

On its 25th anniversary, Old Navy partners with Open to All® to affirm its commitment to welcome everyone

(San Francisco, CA), JUNE 25, 2019 — To mark its 25th anniversary, Old Navy today announced an expanded partnership with Open to All®. Starting today, the iconic American fashion brand will significantly expand its Open to All® presence across North America by displaying welcoming signs in its storefronts across United States, Mexico, and Canada, and by donating $25,000 to support Open to All®.

“Since its founding, Old Navy has been a leader in diversity and inclusion, and we are deeply grateful for their commitment to inclusion,” said Open to All® Campaign Manager Calla Rongerude. “Old Navy and Open to All® are joining together to build understanding about the importance of protecting people from discrimination, and the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All®.”

To celebrate the expanded partnership, Open to All® has turned its website and logo purple in solidarity with Old Navy’s purple anniversary celebration on June 25, and Old Navy store associates are wearing purple Open to All® badges.

“One thing is certain, we will never stop believing that Old Navy can be a place where customers and communities feel a sense of belonging — and do our best to make that so,” said Old Navy President & CEO Sonia Syngal. “Our doors are open for everyone, and also open for ideas, open for love, open for differences, open for dialogue, and open for change.”

Founded in 1994, Old Navy is a recognized leader in diversity and inclusion, working to make sure everyone is welcome and celebrated in stores across America. As one of the founding partners to sign the Open to All® business pledge, Old Navy is reaffirming its commitment to maintaining a welcoming and safe environment for all people—including employees, visitors, customers, vendors, and clients—and to serve everyone on the same terms regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, age, immigration status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion or disability.

Rongerude spoke today at Old Navy’s headquarters to thank the company for its support and for putting its values into action. Rongerude underscored Old Navy’s leadership, noting that the company links its extraordinary success to its values of inclusivity and belonging.

“We hope other businesses are inspired by Old Navy and join them in declaring that they are Open to All®,” Open to All’s Rongerude said. “We agree with Old Navy and more than 5,000 other businesses nationwide who believe that we all benefit from treating every employee, customer, and vendor with the same dignity and respect.”

There are more than 1,100 Old Navy stores around the world.

Businesses wishing to join Open to All® can learn more and sign the pledge at http://www.opentoall.com/business-pledge/.

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Old Navy is a global apparel and accessories brand that makes current American essentials accessible to every family. Originated in 1994, the brand celebrates the democracy of style through on-trend, playfully optimistic, affordable and high-quality product. A division of San Francisco-based Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS), Old Navy brings a fun, energizing shopping environment to its customers in more than 1,100 stores around the world.

Open to All® is one of the most significant public education efforts to date that unites and galvanizes national leaders in business, civic engagement, and the nonprofit sector to take a stand for shared American values of fairness and equality. In addition to the more than 5,000 business members, Open to All® includes more than 200 nonprofit members spanning civil rights and racial justice organizations; LGBT equality organizations; health and disability organizations; faith organizations; and more. Open to All® members are committed to building awareness and understanding about the importance of nondiscrimination—and to defend the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All®.

Michaels declares it is Open to All®; Pledges to serve everyone on the same terms

(Irving, TX) June 20, 2019—Today, the Michaels Companies, Inc. (NASDAQ: MIK), the largest arts and crafts retail chain in North America, announced it is joining Open to All®, the nationwide public engagement campaign to build understanding and discussion about the importance of protecting people from discrimination—and the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All®. 

“We are proud to join Open to All® and build on Michaels longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion,” said Holly Shaskey-Platek, senior vice president of human resources for the Michaels Companies. “We’re dedicated to making Michaels a fun and supportive place to work, as well as a great place to shop. Whether it’s how we treat our team members or how we serve our customers, we know that our business and communities are stronger when we are united.”  

Michaels signed the Open to All® business pledge and stated their commitment to maintaining a welcoming and safe environment for people—including team members, visitors, customers, vendors and clients—regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, immigration status, religion or disability. They pledged to not discriminate against any individuals or deny them goods or services based on any of these characteristics.   

Michaels joins Gap Inc., Old Navy, Yelp, Levi Strauss & Co., Airbnb, Lyft, Marriott, as well as nearly 5,000 businesses and nonprofits, in partnering with Open to All®. To welcome all customers, Michaels stores will also feature the Open to All® window cling in over 1,100 stores across the United States and Canada. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Michaels to Open to All®,” said Calla Rongerude, Open to All® campaign manager. “Not only is Michaels signing the pledge and taking action in over 1,100 stores, they are fully committing to changing the conversation about what it means to be a leader in the craft industry—and that means serving and welcoming everyone. We need strong leadership now, more than ever, and Michaels is answering the call. We call on customers to answer in kind by supporting businesses like Michaels that are open to all, not just some.” 

Open to All® is one of the most significant public education efforts to date that unites and galvanizes national leaders in business, civic engagement, and the nonprofit sector to take a stand for shared American values of fairness and equality.  

Businesses who take the Open to All® business pledge are featured publicly on the Open to All® website. Open to All® has also teamed up with Yelp and is encouraging businesses that have a Yelp page to activate the new “Open to All” attribute to show customers that their business is Open to All®. In addition to business coalition, Open to All® includes more than 200 nonprofit members spanning civil rights and racial justice organizations; lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender (LGBT) equality organizations; health and disability organizations; faith organizations; and more.  

Businesses can sign the Open to All® business pledge at http://www.opentoall.com/business-pledge. 

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Open to All® is one of the most significant public education efforts to date that unites and galvanizes national leaders in business, civic engagement, and the nonprofit sector to take a stand for shared American values of fairness and equality. In addition to the nearly 5,000 business members, Open to All® includes more than 200 nonprofit members spanning civil rights and racial justice organizations; LGBT equality organizations; health and disability organizations; faith organizations; and more. Open to All® members are committed to building awareness and understanding about the importance of nondiscrimination—and to defend the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All®. www.opentoall.com  

The Michaels Companies, Inc. is North America’s largest specialty provider of arts, crafts, framing, floral, wall décor, and seasonal merchandise for Makers and do-it-yourself home decorators. The Company operates more than 1,250 Michaels stores in 49 states and Canada. Additionally, the Company serves customers through a variety of digital platforms including Michaels.com, consumercrafts.com and aaronbrothers.com. The Michaels Companies, Inc., also owns Artistree, a manufacturer of high quality custom and specialty framing merchandise, and Darice, a premier wholesale distributor in the craft, gift and decor industry. For a list of store locations or to shop online, visit www.michaels.com or download the Michaels app.

New PSA by Open to All® encourages businesses to be welcoming, inclusive

(Boulder, CO), June 17, 2019—During a time when hate crimes and discrimination are on the rise, businesses and nonprofits are coming together across the country to publicly support the core American values of hospitality and inclusion—and to let their customers and employees know that everyone is welcome. The powerful new public service announcement (PSA), “Three Words,” is produced by Open to All®, the nationwide public education campaign to build understanding and discussion about the importance of protecting people from discrimination—and the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All®.

“Three Words” refers to a new way for organizations to share their appreciation for their customers, clients, supporters, and employees. In this case, the three words are “open to all,” which means businesses have pledged to be welcoming to all, no matter who you are or where you come from, including people of color, people with disabilities, people of minority faiths, LGBT people, and others. It also refers to businesses that have joined the nationwide Open to All® campaign.

Click here to watch the ad.

“No one should have to worry about whether they will be denied service or face hostility as they go about their daily lives,” said Open to All® Campaign Manager Calla Rongerude. “Yet, all too often we hear stories of discrimination happening all over the country: from people of color facing abuse and violence in a diner, a gay couple being kicked out of an Uber, Muslim women ordered to leave a café, or people with disabilities being harassed in a restaurant. It’s crucial that businesses help put an end to discrimination and send a message that they welcome everyone.”

The Open to All® coalition includes a growing movement of nearly 5,000 businesses large and small across the United States, and over 200 nonprofits including the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, UNIDOS, the Anti-Defamation League, NAACP-LDF, and the ACLU. Businesses that take the Open to All® pledge agree to maintain a welcoming and safe environment for people—including employees, visitors, customers, vendors, and clients—regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, immigration status, religion, or disability–and to not discriminate against any individuals or deny them services based on these characteristics.

The ad closes with shop owners saying, “Businesses saying loud and clear we’re open to all. Treating everyone fairly. Serving everyone—on the same terms. Join us. Let’s create an America where everyone is welcome, and where businesses are Open to All®.”

View the PSA at http://www.opentoall.com/three-words/

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Open to All® is one of the most significant public education efforts to date that unites and galvanizes national leaders in business, civic engagement, and the nonprofit sector to take a stand for the shared American values of fairness and equality. In addition to the nearly 4,000 business members, Open to All® includes more than 200 nonprofit members spanning civil rights and racial justice organizations; LGBT equality organizations; health and disability organizations; faith organizations; and more. Open to All® members are committed to building awareness and understanding about the importance of nondiscrimination—and to defend the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All®. www.opentoall.com