Urban Outfitters, Inc.

No publicly available information was found regarding Urban Outfitter’s overall commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment across its full value chain. The company does not disclose how it integrates these issues into its governance structure, strategy, processes or management systems, or how it engages with stakeholders to manage and improve its gender impacts.

The company’s grievance mechanism states that concerns relating to its code of conduct and ethics can be reported in confidence without of fear of retaliation. However, other gender-responsive elements that take into account the specific needs of women employees are not present, such as allowing concerns to be anonymously reported to someone other than the direct supervisor via a telephone line.

Urban Outfitters has not disclosed information to demonstrate that it screens for gender-related issues among its suppliers as part of its audit processes, such as sexual harassment or discrimination against women based on their pregnancy and marital status. Furthermore, no information was found regarding whether suppliers are required to take corrective action if these gender-related issues are identified.

There is little information available to indicate that Urban Outfitters considers the fair representation of women in the workplace. While the company reports on the gender composition of its board of directors (30%) and senior executives (33%), there is not a gender balance – between 40-60% – in either group. No details were found on the gender composition of the company’s workforce overall or whether it offers professional development programmes and equal promotion opportunities to its women employees.

In the supply chain, there is no information regarding how the company addresses the systemic discrimination that women face, for example by requiring suppliers to have a policy in place that explicitly protects pregnant and married women workers or creating an enabling environment for women to exercise their rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining. Neither is information disclosed concerning whether the company actively procures from women-owned businesses or takes specific actions to increase the procurement spend directed to these businesses.

While Urban Outfitters reports on its gender pay gap in the United Kingdom, thereby complying with national regulation, no information was found regarding how the company specifically addresses the gender pay gap across its global operations to ensure its women employees receive fair compensation for their work.

In terms of family-friendly benefits, the company offers six weeks of paid maternity and paternity leave for full-time employees following the birth or adoption of a child. While this policy exceeds the International Labour Organization’s recommended two weeks of paid paternity leave, it is below the recommended 14 weeks of paid maternity leave. Furthermore, flexible working options are conditional on the manager’s approval. There was no information found on whether the company promotes employees’ return to work after leave, monitors the return-to-work rate of employees after maternity and paternity carer leave or offers childcare support.

No information was found regarding whether women workers in the supply chain are extended formal contracts or a living wage beyond the legal minimum wage. Neither were there details available about the key family-friendly benefits that suppliers should extend to workers in order to support their unpaid care burden, which women disproportionately carry.

No publicly available information was found to suggest that Urban Outfitters covers any additional costs surrounding the maternal, mental or sexual and reproductive health needs specific to its women employees. Neither were details available regarding the company’s efforts to address the specific health, safety and hygiene needs of women workers in the supply chain, for example by requiring suppliers to provide adequately lit factory facilities and toilets separated by gender. Furthermore, Urban Outfitters has not made a public commitment to provide workers with gender-responsive health information and services, for example by requiring suppliers to have an on-site clinic with credentialed health providers.

No publicly available information was found on how Urban Outfitters prevents violence and harassment in its workplace. In the supply chain, the company requires its suppliers to have a violence and harassment policy, which includes prohibiting sexual harassment. No details were found regarding the company’s effective remedy for violence and harassment grievances reported by its employees or supply chain workers, such as not requiring private arbitration or silencing agreements.

No publicly available information was found regarding how Urban Outfitters addresses non-discriminatory practices in marketing and advertising, for example by committing to avoid harmful gender stereotypes or ensuring gender-responsive communications and engagement with its customers to support gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Limited information was found regarding how Urban Outfitters currently drives gender equality and women’s empowerment in the communities where it operates, though subsidiary Anthropologie is involved in several community-based initiatives. Anthropologie has partnered with Citizens of Humanity to support the Every Mother Counts project to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for women everywhere. It also partners with Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a non-profit organisation that offers support and information to those whose lives have been affected by breast cancer.

Urban Outfitters has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by closing stores and furloughing employees. In its reopened stores, the company is enforcing adherence to applicable health and safety guidelines and complying with state and local law.