LOUISVILLE, Ky., September 8, 2026 — GE Appliances, a Haier company, has been named one of Fast Company's 2026 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators and recognized as a winner in the Skilled Laborers category, honoring the company's commitment to building a culture where employees at every level are empowered to innovate.

Presented by Fast Company, the annual Best Workplaces for Innovators program recognizes organizations that empower employees to improve processes, create new products, and invent better ways of doing business. The Skilled Laborers category recognizes organizations that foster innovation among skilled tradespeople whose technical expertise helps transform ideas into real-world solutions.

"Innovation isn't something that's handed down from the top," said Kevin Nolan, president and CEO of GE Appliances. "It happens every day when people see a better way and have the confidence and support to do something about it. That's the kind of culture we've worked hard to build, and we're honored to see it recognized."

At GE Appliances, innovation is part of the everyday experience. Employees across engineering, manufacturing, software, product development and operations are encouraged to identify opportunities, experiment with new ideas, and help shape the future of the company.

That philosophy has created a clear pathway from idea to invention. More than 1,000 GE Appliances engineers hold at least one approved patent, with several holding more than 50 patents and the company's top inventor credited with 119. Through environments like FirstBuild—GE Appliances' Louisville-based microfactory and global co-creation community—employees work alongside designers, makers and the community to rapidly prototype, test and refine new ideas before bringing them to market.

That same culture continues to drive the company's latest innovations. Most recently, GE Appliances introduced new connected kitchen experiences featuring Kitchen Assistant™ and Cooking Assistant™, powered by the SmartHQ™ platform to help simplify meal planning, preparation and cooking. Behind those innovations are more than 1,600 engineers working across hardware, software and digital technologies at the company's Louisville headquarters.

GE Appliances also continues to invest in the tools that help employees innovate. In 2025, the company launched an AI Lab to accelerate enterprise-wide adoption of artificial intelligence, grounded in the belief that the people closest to the work are best positioned to improve it. Today, 100% of the company's non-production workforce has access to at least one AI environment, enabling employees across functions to experiment responsibly and apply it to real business challenges.

As America’s Most Invested Appliance Company, GE Appliances has committed billions of dollars to its U.S. operations through an industry-leading investment in American manufacturing. The investment is transforming the company’s U.S. plants with new technology, advanced equipment and expanded capabilities — giving the people closest to the work more opportunities to improve processes, solve problems and turn ideas into innovations on the factory floor.

The recognition from Fast Company reflects the culture behind those investments—a workplace where ideas can come from anywhere, collaboration drives progress and employees have the opportunity to turn ideas into meaningful innovations that improve everyday life.

About GE Appliances, a Haier company
At GE Appliances, a Haier company, we come together to make good things, for life. Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, we are a leading U.S. manufacturer of home appliances with 15,500 team members nationwide. Our products can be found in half of all U.S. homes, and we’re proud to be rated America’s #1 Appliance Company.¹ We manufacture and sell products under the Monogram™, Café™, GE Profile™, GE®, Haier™ and Hotpoint™ brands. Our operations support 98,000 additional American jobs, and as America’s Most Invested Appliance Company, we’ve committed an industry-leading $6.5 billion to U.S. manufacturing since 2016 alone. We are deeply committed to the communities where we live and work, passionate about getting closer to our product users to understand their needs, and driven by the belief that there’s always a better way.

To learn more about our company, brands, career opportunities and impact, visit geappliancesco.com or connect with us on LinkedIn.

1 OpenBrand Consumer Tracking Survey, Q1 – Q4 2024, Based on Volume of Total Majors/MO/RAC – Retail Uni