Diversity at Levi-Strauss & Co.

As Levi’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion Corey Smith says, “Our company value of ‘Profits through Principles’ – doing the right thing over the easy thing – continues to be as much at the fiber of our company as the cotton in our blue jeans.” [4] Today, Levi’s continues to fund Project Change and help form task forces made up of members of the public, local business owners and police officers. Together, they educate on, and fight, racial prejudice.

Championing Female Leaders

In the 1970s, LS&Co’s Minority Purchasing Program extended to teaming with suppliers led by women. And by 1997, more than half of LS&Co managers were women. [5] Fast forward to 2018 and the retailer was recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Employers for Women – ranking 37 out of the top 300 firms. It’s one of just three clothing companies in the top 50. The Forbes study measures factors such as parental leave, discrimination and pay equity. [6] In the States, LS&Co offers eight weeks paid parental leave for women and men. [7] In addition:

• LS&Co supports the UN’s Women’s Empowerment Principles which help advance and empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community. [8]
• It partners with Business for Social Responsibility on the HERproject to offer workplace education on health, financial inclusion and gender equality.

Elizabeth Wood, Chief Human Resources Officer at LS&Co, says, “We know that having diverse voices in our company only makes us stronger, and we will continue to invest in a culture that promotes that.”[9] This strength is shown by the fact that every US dollar invested in the HERproject sees a three-dollar return because of higher productivity, lower staff turnover and reduced absenteeism. [10]

Wearing it With Pride

Each year during Pride, Levi’s designers use clothes and storefronts to support the LGBT community.

• In 2009, LS&Co opposed Proposition 8 (banning gay marriage in California) by clothing mannequins with White Knots – a symbol of solidarity with the same-sex marriage movement.
• In 2012, Levi’s partnered with the Human Rights Campaign to create custom-designed T-shirts with just-married cowboy and cowgirl couples.
• In 2014, the brand celebrated three decades of LGBT support with a collection featuring rainbow logos and batwing patches. [11]

As well as political statements and a show of support, Levi’s Pride collections reveal how its customers directly inform the style of its clothes.

It’s Cool to be Yourself

Levi’s chief marketing officer, Jennifer Sey, calls the brand “democratic”. As she explains, “I think one of the dangers of being old, like we are, is you sometimes feel like you’re not that cool. And now I think there's nothing cooler than being yourself.’ “We are inclusive and diverse, and [speak to] everyone from very young hipster teenagers to 70-year-old guys who have been wearing the brand their whole life. This is a brand for all of them”. [12] This idea is backed up Levi’s ‘Circles’ ad campaign which shows people of all ages, races and sexual orientations dancing. One of YouTube’s most-watched ads of 2017, it celebrates diversity, individual expression and community. As AdWeek wrote, ‘‘Its call for unity is a sentiment that is universal and timeless.” [13]

Doing Good is Good for Business

Diversity isn’t just a badge for Levi’s; it’s good for business, too. In 2018, LS&Co. was named in Fortune Magazine’s Change the World list for the second year in a row. The award recognizes organizations that turn “do-good efforts into positive business results”. [14] In 2017, LS&Co. was singled out for its Worker Well-being Program. Stretching across 42 vendors, 72 factories and 140,000 workers, it aims to support financial empowerment, health and family well-being and equality and acceptance for its workers. It offers:

• in-factory education on health, hygiene, sanitation, communication and critical thinking
• infrastructure to improve working conditions (such as breastfeeding rooms, chilled water and air con)
• training to help supervisors communicate better with staff [15]

What’s more, employees feed back on the type of content they want in the program. Levi’s is empowering factory workers to improve their own lives. And it’s working. Happier, healthier employees mean lower absenteeism and turnover, plus more productive factories. LS & Co has committed to ambitious targets: by 2020, it says 80% of its production volume will be made through Working Well-being vendors, and 100% by 2025. [16]

Common Threads

Fortune Magazine writes of the Worker Well-being Program, ‘That would be good for suppliers, but also for Levi’s, which will get more reliable, cost-efficient sourcing partners - while generating positive vibes that resonate with young talent and with consumers who want their values reflected in everything they buy.’ [17] This knock-on effect is key to the way Levi’s champions diversity. LS&Co:

• Sources diverse talent, which brings a variety of perspectives to its workforce, and one which is better able to appreciate the needs of its diverse customer base. The company has a Diversity Council which informs on everything from product development to distribution systems. [18]
• Uses empathetic marketing which shows the diverse people who wear its clothes. In the US, the brand began advertising in minority languages such as Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese as early as 1926.
• Rolls up its sleeves and does more than throw money at projects. It takes an active role in the communities surrounding its factories, offering education and empowering workers to better their lives. (Which in turn is good for business.)

Diversity isn’t just a good thing to do. It’s good for business, and Levi’s makes no apologies for this, as expressed in their company mantra of ‘Profits Through Principles’.