L Brands

No publicly available information was found regarding L Brands’ 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.

L Brands has a gender-responsive grievance mechanism that considers the specific needs of its women employees, for instance guaranteeing confidentially, allowing concerns to be anonymously reported to someone other than the direct supervisor via a telephone line, and non-retaliation and protection of the aggrieved party. Suppliers are also required to have their own grievance mechanisms in place for their workers to raise concerns.

The company does not disclose 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 issues are identified.

There is little information available to indicate that L Brands considers the fair representation of women in the workplace. With a workforce that is 90% female, the company maintains a gender balance – 40-60% women – on its board of directors (50%). However, women are underrepresented in senior executive positions (17%). No information was found regarding the gender composition of the company’s senior management or middle management. Neither were there details about the gender breakdown of its workforce across occupational function, employee turnover or absenteeism rates. There was no information to indicate that the company offers professional development opportunities with specific support for women employees.

In the supply chain, no information was available concerning gender equality in leadership or whether 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.

However, L Brands has taken specific actions to increase its support for women-owned businesses by launching a supplier diversity initiative. This initiative requires suppliers to be certified by a third party such as the Women Business Enterprise, which states that suppliers must be at least 51% owned and controlled by a woman or group of women. However, there is no information about the company’s total procurement spend that is directed to women-owned businesses.

Though no details were available regarding recognition agreements with local trade unions or collective bargaining agreements currently in place, the company expects suppliers to respect the rights of workers to establish and join organisations without risk of discrimination, harassment, interference or retaliation.

While subsidiary Victoria’s Secret reports on its gender pay gap in the United Kingdom, thereby complying with national regulation, no information was found regarding how L Brands 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 provides full-time employees with 14 weeks of paid maternity leave as well as six weeks of paid leave for non-birth and adoptive parents. Furthermore, it offers childcare discounts. However, no information was found to suggest that the company promotes the uptake of parental leave or monitors the return-to-work rate of employees after leave.

In the supply chain, there was no information to indicate that L Brands requires its suppliers to extend their workers a formal contract or pay a living wage. Neither were details found on how the company considers key family-friendly benefits to support workers’ unpaid care burden.

No information was found to suggest that L Brands covers additional costs surrounding the maternal, mental or sexual and reproductive health needs specific to its women employees.

In the supply chain, no details were available regarding the company’s efforts to address the specific health, safety and hygiene needs of women workers, for example by requiring suppliers to provide adequately lit factory facilities and toilets separated by gender. While the company does not require suppliers to have an on-site clinic with credentialed health providers, it has partnered with Clover Group to implement the HERhealth programme run by BSR (Business for Social Responsibility). Through this programme, women workers in China receive gender-responsive health information and services regarding, for instance, reproductive health, sexually transmitted diseases and anaemia.

In the workplace, L Brands prohibits all forms of harassment, including sexual harassment, through its Civility and Anti-harassment Policy. The policy applies to all employees, suppliers and third parties. In the supply chain, the company does not require suppliers to have a violence and harassment policy in place, though it prohibits corporal punishment. No details were found regarding 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 information was found regarding how L Brands 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.

Little information was found regarding how L Brands currently drives gender equality and women’s empowerment in the communities where it operates. Its Mast Cares initiative aims to support the health, welfare and education of women and children, for example assisting with home improvements for elderly women in Hong Kong. It has also donated to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer to support the fight against breast cancer.

L Brands has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by providing support to its furloughed employees as well as to the community through the provision of hand sanitiser and hand soaps. The company has also made a $300,000 donation to the American Red Cross in support of their mission to help people affected by everyday emergencies during this pandemic. It made a further donation of $200,000 to Feeding America, which will provide 2 million meals to people facing hunger. In addition, the company’s suppliers have been producing personal protective equipment and providing materials to those in need.