Reynolds American Inc.'s Ricardo Oberlander joins more than 750 CEOs in unprecedented commitment to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace

Variety of RAI Group programs and policies -- comprehensive parental leave, employee resource groups and Women of Transformation, among others -- promote diversity and inclusion

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Reynolds American Inc.

Oct 25, 2019, 10:00 ET

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Oct. 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ricardo Oberlander, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Reynolds American Inc. (RAI) has signed the pledge for CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™, joining over 750 CEOs that have committed the companies they lead to demonstrably advancing diversity and inclusion in the workplace through meaningful action. This will further strengthen the RAI group of companies' culture, where diverse perspectives and experiences are welcomed and respected.

"Diversity and inclusion are crucial to our success," said Oberlander. "Having diverse thoughts and backgrounds is the cornerstone of our transforming tobacco vision and ability to truly innovate. The RAI Group, along with our parent company, British American Tobacco Group, is fully committed to fostering an environment in which diversity and inclusion is valued, sought and championed."

The RAI Group has many policies and programs to support and encourage these principals, including:

A comprehensive parental leave policy with 16 weeks of paid leave for new parents
Employee resource groups, which are communities of individuals formed around common interests or backgrounds and that provide an opportunity to enhance organizational culture
The Women of Transformation initiative, a corporate effort to highlight and celebrate innovative female leadership both within the RAI Group and the broader community.

"RAI is fortunate to have a leader like Ricardo who visibly sets the tone around diversity and inclusion, ensuring all of our people know they are accepted, appreciated and valued," said Borwin Jung, chief human resources officer of RAI. "The signing of this pledge is almost a formality, as our organization has long taken action to continually improve diversity and the feeling of inclusion, which is part of what has made Reynolds American Inc. a Fortune Great Place to Work three years running."

A diverse and inclusive workforce facilitates community and drives innovation and creativity. The CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ is led by a steering committee of CEOs and leaders from Accenture, BCG, Deloitte US, The Executive Leadership Council, EY, General Atlantic, KPMG, New York Life, Procter and Gamble and PwC. The coalition represents 85 industries, all 50 U.S. states and millions of employees globally.

About Reynolds American Inc.
Reynolds American Inc. is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of British American Tobacco p.l.c., and the U.S. parent company of R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company; Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company, Inc.; American Snuff Company, LLC; R. J. Reynolds Vapor Company; and Kentucky BioProcessing, Inc.

R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJRT) is the second-largest U.S. tobacco company. RJRT's brands include Newport, Camel and Pall Mall.
Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company, Inc. manufactures and markets Natural American Spirit products in the United States.
American Snuff Company, LLC is the nation's second-largest manufacturer of smokeless tobacco products. Its leading brands are Grizzly and Kodiak.
R. J. Reynolds Vapor Company (RJRV) markets vapor products and modern oral products, including VUSE, VELO and REVEL.
Kentucky BioProcessing, Inc. conducts research and development related to protein expression and extraction from tobacco plants.

To learn more about Reynolds American Inc. and its operating companies, please visit reynoldsamerican.com.

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About CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™
CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ is the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion within the workplace. Bringing together more than 750 CEOs of America's leading organizations, the commitment outlines actions that participating companies pledge to take to cultivate a workplace where diverse perspectives and experiences are welcomed and respected, employees feel comfortable and encouraged to discuss diversity and inclusion, and where best known—and unsuccessful—actions can be shared across organizations. Learn more at CEOAction.com and connect with us on Twitter: @CEOAction.

SOURCE Reynolds American Inc.