Michelle A. Banks appointed as Kohl's Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer
Kohl’s announced today the creation of a new Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer role in support of the company’s continued commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion. Michelle A. Banks, a senior executive with Kohl's for more than 12 years, has been appointed to the role. The role, reporting directly to Kohl's CEO Michelle Gass as part of the company's senior leadership team, was created to further the company’s diversity and inclusion (D&I) journey and new D&I strategic framework––focused on addressing Our People, Our Customers and Our Community.
“At Kohl’s, we believe embedding equity, diversity and inclusion in everything we do requires an ongoing journey of listening, learning and taking action. While we have made good progress, we must continue to raise the bar to make real and lasting change for our associates, our customers and our business,” said Michelle Gass, Kohl’s chief executive officer. “Michelle Banks has a deep commitment to championing an inclusive culture of belonging where all associates are valued and supported, and fostering a store environment where all families are welcome and celebrated. She has been a key leader on our D&I Task Force and our D&I Council and we look forward to our continued D&I progress under Michelle's leadership.”
As CDIO, Banks will lead enterprise-wide D&I efforts for Kohl’s, including training and development, strategic initiatives across the business, and leadership of both the company’s D&I Task Force and its D&I Council.
“Kohl’s has a deep commitment to creating an environment where everyone feels a sense of equity, where diversity is valued at all levels, and where inclusion is evident across our business. As an organization, we have made great progress on our D&I journey and I look forward to continuing the momentum to realize our D&I strategic mission to fulfill lives through equity, diversity and inclusion,” said Michelle A. Banks.
Banks joined Kohl’s in 2010 and has held a number of progressive leadership roles within the stores organization, most recently having served as senior vice president, territory manager overseeing nearly 200 stores in the Southeast region. Prior to joining Kohl's, Banks served in store leadership roles with DSW Shoes, Gap, Marshall Fields, and Donna Karan. Banks has more than 25 years of experience in the retail industry.