SHANGHAI, Sept. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Yum China Holdings, Inc. (the "Company" or "Yum China") (NYSE: YUMC) today announced that it has been included in the State Street Global Advisors' (SSGA) Gender Diversity Index. With this inclusion, Yum China joins a select group of large-scale listed U.S. companies committed to closing gender gaps and advancing women through gender diversity on their boards of directors and in senior leadership positions.
"We are very proud to have been included in the SSGA Gender Diversity Index," said Micky Pant, Yum China's Chief Executive Officer. "We firmly believe that gender should never be a factor in consideration for senior leadership positions, nor should it be a barrier to success. Yum China has always been committed to cultivating a workplace culture that is inclusive, diverse, and underpinned by an emphasis on meritocracy and hard work. We will continue to build on this platform and offer all our employees an equal opportunity to grow and lead."
The SSGA Gender Diversity Index tracks the performance of listed U.S. large capitalization companies with the highest levels of gender diversity on their boards of directors and in senior leadership positions within their respective sectors. The index offers investors the opportunity to invest capital in companies committed to addressing issues of gender inequality at the senior and executive management levels.
Yum China currently employs over 200,000 women, among an employee base of more than 420,000 people, and has made great strides in hiring and retaining talented female leaders across all management levels within the company. Ruby Lu and Joey Wat serve on the Board of Directors of Yum China. The Senior Leadership Team currently includes Joey Wat, President and Chief Operating Officer; Shella Ng, Chief Legal Officer; Christabel Lo, Chief People Officer; Angela Ai, Chief Development Officer; and Alice Wang, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs.
For more information on the SSGA Gender Diversity Index please visit: https://www.ssga.com/global/en/products-capabilities/asset-classes/equity/ssga-gender-diversity-index.html
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. We intend all forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and by the use of forward-looking words such as "expect," "expectation," "believe," "anticipate," "may," "could," "intend," "belief," "plan," "estimate," "target," "predict," "likely," "will," "should," "forecast," "outlook," "look forward" or similar terminology. These statements are based on current estimates and assumptions made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances, but there can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by those statements. We cannot assure you that any of our expectations, estimates or assumptions will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date of this press release, and we disclaim any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. Numerous factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: whether we are able to achieve development goals at the times and in the amounts currently anticipated, if at all, the success of our marketing campaigns and product innovation, our ability to maintain food safety and quality control systems, our ability to control costs and expenses, including tax costs as well as changes in political, economic and regulatory conditions in China. In addition, other risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial could affect the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements should be evaluated with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty. You should consult our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the information set forth under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Statements" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K) for additional detail about factors that could affect our financial and other results.
About Yum China Holdings, Inc.
Yum China Holdings, Inc. is a licensee of Yum! Brands in mainland China. It has exclusive rights in mainland China to KFC, China's leading quick-service restaurant brand, Pizza Hut, the leading casual dining restaurant brand in China, and Taco Bell, which opened its first restaurant in China at the end of 2016. Yum China also owns the Little Sheep and East Dawning concepts outright. Yum China is well positioned for growth thanks to its strong competitive position, integration of its brands into Chinese popular culture and consumers' daily lives, expanding geographic footprint in China and existing operational expertise. It has a strong capital position, no external debt and expects to continue growing its system sales and profit by adding new restaurants and through growing same-store sales. Yum China had more than 7,600 restaurants and more than 420,000 employees in over 1,100 cities at the end of May 2017. A new generation of younger consumers who are digitally sophisticated and brand driven are fueling growth in consumption in China. The ongoing growth of the middle class and urban population in China is expected to create the world's largest market for restaurant brands, with Yum China poised to be the market leader.
Yum China Media Contacts:
Forest Liu, Director, Finance Media, at +86 21 2407 7505
Anne Bark, Brunswick Group, at +86 21 6039 6388
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