VF Corporation

VF has not made a high-level, public commitment to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment across its value chain. Furthermore, it has not established a gender strategy that goes beyond general support for diversity and inclusion, nor disclosed specific, time-bound targets on gender equality and women’s empowerment. It has, however, identified its Executive Inclusion and Diversity Council as responsible for the company’s diversity and inclusion efforts, including gender, which is led by its chief executive officer and chair of the board.

There are no details to suggest that VF engages all employees on gender issues and topics, for example through surveys, though the company has established the Women of VF Employee Network (WOVEN) to foster dialogue around women’s leadership. It has also partnered with the Paradigm for Parity coalition, which aims to achieve a 50-50 gender balance in leadership by 2030.

The company has a gender-responsive grievance mechanism that reflects an understanding of gender roles and the inequalities women face in the workplace, for instance allowing concerns to be reported to someone other than the direct supervisor via a telephone line, and ensuring non-retaliation and protection of the aggrieved party. It also allows supply chain workers to access its grievance mechanism and requires suppliers to have their own local grievance mechanisms in place.

VF screens for gender-related issues among its suppliers as part of its audit processes, including sexual harassment and discrimination against women based on their pregnancy and marital status. It also requires corrective action to be taken if these issues are identified.

VF considers the fair representation of women in its workforce and publicly discloses the gender composition across various levels of leadership at least annually. With a workforce that is 53% female, the company currently maintains gender balance – 40-60% women – in middle management (51%). However, women are underrepresented among its board members (36%) and senior executives (21%). VF addresses the systemic discrimination that women face by offering them professional development support and mentoring programmes, for example through its numerous Employee Resource Groups across Asia Pacific, India, Europe and the United States.

In the supply chain, VF requires suppliers to have a non-discrimination policy that explicitly protects pregnant women workers. It also prohibits suppliers from giving pregnancy tests as a condition of employment or dismissing workers while on maternity leave. As part of its VF’s Traceability programme, the company requests suppliers to disclose the gender breakdown of their workforce and operators and publicly reports this information. There was no information, however, on whether VF supports its suppliers in offering professional development opportunities to their women workers. Neither was 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 no details were found regarding recognition agreements with local trade unions or collective bargaining agreements currently in place, VF requires suppliers to prohibit intimidation, harassment, retaliation and violence against trade union members.

While VF 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 global gender pay gap across to ensure its women employees around the world receive fair compensation for their work. Regarding family-friendly benefits, VF does not disclose a global policy of paid primary or secondary carer leave. Neither was information found on whether it promotes employees’ return to work after leave or offers childcare support. The company does, however, offer flexible working hours to its employees.

In the supply chain, there was no information found on whether VF requires its suppliers to offer formal contracts. While the company states that suppliers should make improvements to progressively realise a living wage, it does not require them to do so. Its Worker and Community Development programme provides access to childcare, though VF does not require suppliers to provide paid carer leave or offer other family support that may relieve workers’ unpaid care burden.

No information was found to suggest that VF covers additional costs surrounding maternal health services or the sexual and reproductive health needs specific to its women employees. However, it covers some mental health services through its Employee Assistance Program, which offers free 24/7 support to employees and their families as well as counselling sessions to help with issues such as depression, stress management, and child and elder care referrals.

In the supply chain, VF requires suppliers to provide their workers with a safe and healthy work environment, including access to toilets separated by gender, drinking water, adequately lit factory facilities and personal protective equipment as well as training in proper chemical handling and emergency procedures. Furthermore, the company requires its suppliers to have a clinic with credentialed health providers. In India, VF supports some suppliers in providing their workers with access to gender-responsive health information in addition to improving access to feminine hygiene products as part of the HERproject run by BSR (Business for Social Responsibility), a global non-profit business network dedicated to sustainability. However, the company does not disclose data on the gender composition of workers’ injuries, fatalities, turnover or absenteeism rates.

VF seeks to prohibit violence and harassment in the workplace and does not tolerate any threatening action between employees or toward third parties. However, no details were found to indicate VF trains its own employees on violence and harassment. Neither was information found regarding the company’s effective remedy to violence and harassment grievances in the workplace, such as not requiring private arbitration or silencing agreements.

In the supply chain, the company states that suppliers must treat their workers with respect and dignity. Furthermore, it requires its suppliers to have a harassment policy, which includes sexual harassment, made publicly available to all workers in relevant languages and to provide training to all workers on this policy.

VF discloses no information regarding how it 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.

While the She Moves Mountains initiative by the VF’s brand The North Face helps girls develop leadership skills and provides them with women role models, no further information was found regarding the company’s broader efforts to drive gender equality and women’s empowerment in the communities where it operates.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, VF Corp, The VF Foundation and the VF family of brands have donated more than $10.3 million in funds, products and services to support urgent medical needs worldwide and help those struggling to cope. The company has also donated more than $7 million in cash to support emergency responders by directly providing testing kits and medical supplies and to help the financially vulnerable access food and social services, notably in countries without strong social support systems.