For the second time, Levi Strauss & Co. has been recognized for our commitment to gender equality in Bloomberg’s Gender Equality Index (GEI), a referencing tool that spotlights transparency on gender-related practices and policies at publicly listed companies across five pillars:
- Women leadership and talent pipeline
- Equal pay and gender pay parity
- Inclusive culture
- Anti-sexual harassment policies
- External brand
LS&Co. joined 483 companies as a member of the 2023 Bloomberg Gender Equality Index. Those included in this year’s index scored at or above a global threshold established by Bloomberg to reflect data transparency and the achievement or adoption of best-in-class statistics and policies.
In 2023, our index score increased from 78.63 to 85.71, with significant improvements across four of the five categories. We also received a score of 100 for our disclosure and anti-sexual harassment policies, demonstrating significant progress compared with last year, when they were our lowest-scoring categories. Our greatest areas for improvement are within the women leadership and talent pipeline and the equal pay and gender pay parity categories.
Providing Meaningful and Equitable Experiences for Our Women Talent
LS&Co. recognizes our responsibility to invest in our women employees and their careers, to use our platform to spark important conversations and to recognize the champions making a difference every day. One exciting way we’ve brought this commitment to life is through the launch of our new executive women’s development program, LS&Co. Lab. With women making up almost 60% of our organization, LS&Co. Lab was curated specifically to further develop our high-performing senior women leaders, with the aim to increase their representation and retention as well as provide opportunities to help tailor and advance their careers.
Additionally, we invested in our 15 inclusive employee resource groups (ERGs), which include a global women’s ERG with chapters in the U.S., Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The ERG works to create community, connection and safe spaces for our women on all levels and is a way for us to amplify their voices and ideas. Our annual women’s summit, Seen & Heard, helps us evaluate issues of importance to women and their allies.
Standing Up for Gender Equity in Our Workplace
LS&Co. believes accessible, gender-inclusive facilities and workspaces contribute to a safe, nondiscriminatory environment where all employees can achieve success and thrive in their careers. In support of our commitment to inclusiveness for people of all gender identifications, we’re working with our facilities group to plan for a more inclusive and accommodating office headquarters, as well as supporting policies.
The company has also established industry-leading paid medical and parental leave policies and has long advocated for a similar national law. Our position is in keeping with our efforts to support our employees and their family members at all stages of their lives. This includes our early advocacy in support of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (P.W.F.A.), which Congress passed and President Biden signed into law in 2022 to create protections and standards for pregnant employees in the U.S., and to more broadly support gender and racial equity.
In these ways and others, we’re fully committed to making LS&Co. a place where women — and all our employees — can be their best, authentic selves and experience fulfilling careers.
Learn more about the index.
