Arthur Andersen Honored for Its Commitment to Working Parents.

Business Editors

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 5, 2000

For the eighth year, Arthur Andersen has been named to Working Mother magazine's list of "100 Best Companies For Working Mothers," demonstrating the firm's dedication to meeting the needs of working parents and fostering a successful work-life integration for all individuals.

"Because people are our greatest asset, Arthur Andersen continually strives to ensure that everyone can achieve both their personal and professional goals, " said Anne Lang, Arthur Andersen's U.S. Director of Human Resources. "We're proud that our policies and benefits provide a supportive environment and that this has been recognized by Working Mother magazine."

Flexible work policies and family-friendly benefits are of increasing importance as job-hopping remains at an all-time high and employees continue seeking more accommodating workplaces. According to a 1998 Gallup survey, 90 percent of employees said that work-life benefits are as important as health insurance. Furthermore, an internal Arthur Andersen survey of U.S. employees found that work-life integration was an important aspect of their jobs - and that solutions for making it a reality would impact their decision to stay with the firm a longer period of time.

"Arthur Andersen's extensive work-life and professional development programs are essential to attracting recruits and enhancing motivation and retention," said Karen Kurek, partner-in-charge of Arthur Andersen's Growth and Retention of Women (GROW) program. "As one of approximately 1,300 people who participate in the firm's formal Flexible Work Arrangements program, I enjoy being able to spend more time with my family while advancing professionally."

Arthur Andersen's programs that benefit working mothers include:

-- Flexible Work Arrangements Policy, which includes flex time, compressed
workweek, telework (working from home), and partial workload. Rolled out on a
national basis, the program ensures that all employees have flexibility,
regardless of location or job level. Arthur Andersen's on-line database
provides tools and resources for individuals who are currently on an
alternative work arrangement, or are considering one.

-- GROW (Growth and Retention of Women), a national program that focuses on
accelerating and enhancing the recruitment, retention, advancement and
leadership paths of women through mentoring, networking, and other activities.

-- Resource and Referral Program, which includes referrals for childcare,
eldercare, adoption and schooling. Additional programs for general
health/welfare assistance, employee mortgage assistance, newborn benefits,
college scholarships for children of employees, matching gifts to educational
institutions, and flexibility in use of paid time off also exist.

-- CARE (Continuous Assessment of Results and Expectations), a career
development model implemented through electronic databases that involve four
essential tools: formal annual evaluations, interim appraisals, upward feedback
and mentoring programs.

100 Best List

Working Mother selected 2000's "100 Best Companies" based on five criteria: child care, leave for new parents, flexible work arrangements, work/life benefits such as elder care and adoption assistance, and opportunities for women. Editors looked at a range of supportive company offerings, including health insurance premiums, availability of time off to care for sick kids, mentoring programs and extras such as on-site gyms and other conveniences.

Working Mother/Working Woman Network

Working Mother magazine, founded in 1979, reaches more than 3 million readers each month, and is the only national business magazine written for executive and entrepreneurial mothers. It is part of Working Woman Network (WWN), a leading global resource for businesswomen in today's digital economy, which also includes Working Woman magazine, the National Association for Female Executives, a conference division, Businesswomen's Research Institute and The Business Women's Network. In August, under the leadership of CEO Kay Koplovitz, WWN launched WorkingWoman.com, the first online resource center exclusively for women in business.

About Arthur Andersen

Arthur Andersen's vision is to be the partner for success in the new economy. The firm helps clients find new ways to create, manage and measure value in the rapidly changing global economy. With world-class skills in assurance, tax, consulting and corporate finance, Arthur Andersen has more than 77,000 people in over 80 countries who are united by a single worldwide operating structure that fosters inventiveness, knowledge sharing and a focus on client success. Since its beginning in 1913, Arthur Andersen has realized 86 years of uninterrupted growth, with 1999 revenues over $7 billion. Arthur Andersen is a business unit of Andersen Worldwide.