VF Corporation announces new programs to advance racial equity

VF Corporation announced its implementing new programs and actions to advance racial equity within the company and beyond.

The CARE program aims to combat further opportunity gaps that Black and Brown Americans struggle with, such as access to education, economic equity, and environmental justice.

VF’s latest set of commitments aligns with its inclusion, diversity, equity, and action (IDEA) strategy. The commitment’s core focus is to benefit VF’s employees, communities, consumers, and society, said the corporation.

Some of the commitments include: fix any outstanding pay gaps between employees by 2024 while additionally have 50 percent diverse candidates (defined as women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and individuals with disabilities) when hiring or promoting candidates, while simultaneously having 25 percent BIPOC representation in top leadership roles.

Futher philanthropic opportunities

Another primary aim for the new program is to create more philanthropic opportunities by providing grants, scholarships, and sponsorship, including establishing mentor programs in low-income communities.

VF has also partnered with a non-profit organization, management leadership for tomorrow (MLT) to launch, Black Equity at Work, a program designed to establish corporate standards around racial equity support.

“Given the profound inequities that negatively impact the lives and livelihood of black and brown Americans, the actions we are taking through our CARE initiative, combined with our strategic partnerships at the corporate and brand levels, are critical steps to elevating and accelerating our work to promote racial equity. We are committed to the actions we’ve outlined and will hold ourselves accountable for making meaningful progress and leading by example,’ stated Steve Rendle, VF’s president, in a press release.

Image: The North Face