The Foschini Group

No publicly available information was found regarding The Foschini Group’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, neither how it engages with stakeholders to manage and improve its gender impacts.

The Foschini Group considers the fair representation of women across its workplace that is 72% female. The company publicly discloses the gender composition across various levels of leadership at least annually. TFG’s chief financial officer is a woman, and the company maintains a gender balance – 40-60% women – among its senior executives (50%) and senior managers (49%). However, only four out of 11 directors on the company’s board are women (36%). There is also an imbalance in the company’s lower ranking positions where women account for more than 60% in middle management. TFG offers its employees professional development programmes, though there were no details available on whether they have specific support for women. No information was found regarding the gender composition of the company’s workforce by occupational function or the gender breakdown of employee turnover or absenteeism rates.

In the supply chain, TFG states that it prohibits suppliers from discriminatory practices based on pregnancy and marital status. It also provides suppliers with support in offering professional development opportunities to women workers through programmes such as the Sew Good initiative. The company asserts that workers should be free to form associations for the protection of their interests and to bargain collectively, though suppliers are not required to permit workers to exercise these rights. Under its Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) certificate, TFG has established a quota of procuring 30% from women-owned businesses. While this quota has not yet been achieved, it displays the company’s commitment to gender responsive procurement.

No publicly available information was found regarding how The Foschini Group considers the fair compensation of women in either its workplace or supply chain or specifically addresses the gender pay gap. Neither were details found on how it considers key family-friendly benefits to support the unpaid care burden carried by its employees or workers in the supply chain.

No information was found to suggest that The Foschini Group 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. TFG 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 information was found on how The Foschini Group prevents violence and harassment in the workplace. In the supply chain, the company has a statement that condemns violence and harassment but does not disclose details on how it takes action to actively prevent these offences. Neither was information found regarding effective remedy to violence and harassment grievances reported by TFG’s employees or supply chain workers, such as not requiring private arbitration or silencing agreements and having clear disciplinary actions for the perpetrator.

No publicly available information was found regarding how The Foschini Group 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.

The Foschini Group drives gender equality and women’s empowerment in the communities where it operates through its Sew Good initiative, where the company provides training and skills development to previously unemployed women at its Prestige factories in Maitland and Caledon. It has also partnered with Hands of Hope to support women who struggle to find employment once released from prison. Furthermore, the company donates to the Pink Drive to create and promote awareness of breast cancer in South Africa.

The Foschini Group does not list specific measures they have taken regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in the workplace or supply chain. However, the company’s website mentions the COVID-19 South Africa resource portal which lists the government’s mandate on the issue.