Lojas Renner

Lojas Renner displays a commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment. In addition to being a signatory to the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPS), the company has established a gender strategy that goes beyond general support for diversity and inclusion to include an organisation-wide commitment to gender representation and women’s empowerment in the supply chain. Furthermore, it engages employees on a variety of gender-related issues, including diversity and compensation, as well as external stakeholders such as UN Women. However, the company does not disclose specific, time-bound targets related to gender. Neither are there details about whether an individual is responsible for the company’s gender efforts.

The company 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 or email, as well as ensuring non-retaliation and protection of the aggrieved party. It also ensures that its supply chain workers are aware of the company’s grievance mechanism and allows them to access it to raise concerns.

While Lojas Renner screens for sexual harassment among its suppliers as part of its audit processes and requires corrective action to be taken if identified, there are no details to indicate that the company screens for other gender-related issues, such as gender-based violence and discrimination against women based on their pregnancy or marital status.

Lojas Renner considers the fair representation of women in the workplace. The company discloses the gender balance of its workforce by occupational function as well as the gender composition of its workforce across various levels of leadership. With a workforce that is 66% female, the company currently maintains gender balance – 40-60% women – among senior executives (40%) and senior managers (48%). However, women are underrepresented on the board of directors (25%). No information was found regarding the gender composition of the company’s middle management or the gender breakdown of employee turnover or absenteeism rates. Neither were details found regarding whether it offers professional development programmes with specific support for women.

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. No details were available to suggest the company actively procures from women-owned businesses or takes specific actions to increase the procurement spend directed to these businesses. Though there was no information found regarding recognition agreements with local trade unions or collective bargaining agreements currently in place, Lojas Renner expects suppliers to respect the rights of workers to establish and join organisations.

Lojas Renner addresses the fair compensation of its women employees and reports on the base salary ratio between women and men in senior leadership, leadership and non-leadership positions.

In terms of family-friendly benefits, the company does not disclose a global policy of providing at least 14 weeks of paid primary carer leave or two weeks of paid secondary carer leave, as recommended by the International Labour Organization. It does, however, monitor the return-to-work rate of employees after maternity leave (71%) and their retention rate 12 months (47%) and 24 months (36%) later. The company is also piloting a flexible work schedule initiative, though does not yet offer all employees flexible work options. There was no information regarding whether the company offers childcare or other family support to its employees.

In the supply chain, Lojas Renner requires suppliers to pay workers the legal minimum wage that also meets their basic needs, though it does not mention discretionary income that constitutes a living wage. There was no information found on whether suppliers are required to offer formal contracts. Neither were details available regarding key family-friendly benefits to support workers’ unpaid care burden.

No information was found to indicate that Lojas Renner covers any additional costs surrounding the maternal, mental or sexual and reproductive health needs specific to its women employees.

In the supply chain, Lojas Renner requires suppliers to provide their workers with a safe and healthy work environment, including access to drinking water, personal protective equipment and training in proper handling of chemicals and other hazardous materials. It also makes technical visits to monitor suppliers’ adherence to these requirements. However, the company 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.

Lojas Renner seeks to prevent violence and harassment in the workplace, including sexual harassment. Suppliers are also required to take a zero-tolerance approach to any form of violence or harassment. However, 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.

While Lojas Renner states that its advertising campaigns employ content that is not deceptive, is socially acceptable and conforms to prevailing legislation, the company provides 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.

Lojas Renner drives gender equality and women’s empowerment in the communities where it operates through a number of initiatives. In partnership with UN Women, Instituto Lojas Renner actively promotes economic and social empowerment of women in the textile industry through job creation and income-generation projects. For example, through its Empowering Women Refugees project, the institute offers professional training to refugee women in Brazil on topics such as customer service and retail sales as well as modelling and sewing. Furthermore, the company developed the Weaving Autonomy project in collaboration with the Malhada Grande Community Quilombola Women’s Association. By providing professional training to women leaders from rural communities, the project aims to improve production processes in organic cotton cultivation.

Lojas Renner does not list specific measures it has taken in the workplace or supply chain in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.