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.