Violence and harassment

Company performance averages at 37%, with 32 companies (91%) taking some action. When comparing value chain elements, companies display similar efforts in the workplace and supply chain.

This measurement area includes the following four indicators:

29. Violence and harassment prevention

Twenty-eight companies (80%) disclose information that indicates a commitment to not tolerate violence and harassment in the workplace, and this usually comes in the form of a statement rather than a stand-alone policy. Eleven companies (31%) provide violence and harassment training that goes beyond on-boarding sessions, and seven companies (20%) take additional actions to help prevent violence and harassment in the workplace, such as regularly communicating their violence and harassment policy with employees: Aditya Birla, Decathlon, Inditex, Kering, Target, Under Armour, VF Corporation.

30.  Violence and harassment remediation

Twenty-five companies (71%) have a remediation process for addressing violence & harassment grievances in the workplace. Most companies outline clear disciplinary sanctions for the perpetrator, with two companies (Kering, Under Armour) also setting out a process for alerting external authorities if the complaint is about criminal behaviour.

Aditya Birla is the only company that offers the option for the aggrieved to request a transfer as well as requires a woman to head its Sexual Harassment Complaints Committee and ensure that at least half of the committee consists of women.

No company, however, specifies that it does not require private arbitration of violence and harassment claims or whether it prohibits the inclusion of silencing agreements in violence and harassment settlement agreements, unless requested by the victim.

31. Violence and harassment prevention in the supply chain

Twenty-nine companies (83%) require their suppliers to prohibit violence and harassment among workers, with eleven companies (31%) ensuring the violence and harassment policy is available in one or more local language(s).

Twelve companies (20%) support suppliers in preventing violence and harassment in the supply chain, such as working with local experts to provide capacity building to supervisors.

Only six companies (17%) require their suppliers to provide violence and harassment training to their workers: Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, Levi’s, Nike, PVH, VF Corporation.

32. Violence and harassment remediation in the supply chain

Sixteen companies (46%) require their suppliers to have an effective remediation process for addressing violence and harassment grievances of their workers, usually specifying that grievances must be addressed in a timely manner.

Few companies provide details of appropriate disciplinary measures for the perpetrator (Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, Levi’s, Nike and Target) or include a follow-up process after the outcome of the reported grievance (VF Corporation).

Fourteen companies (40%) monitor their suppliers’ remediation process for addressing grievances filed by their workers. However, no company requires its suppliers collect sex-disaggregated data on the remediation of violence and harassment grievances reported by their workers.