SEW - ascena Retail

Better for her
starts here

Empowering Women in our Supply Chain starts here.

Our Goal: ascena aims to source 100% of our brands’ clothing from suppliers who are demonstrating leadership towards Sourcing for Equal Workplaces (SEW) and commits to disclosing our progress to reaching this goal annually.

We’re passionate believers in the power within each and every woman. So we’re aiming to do even more to improve her life across the globe – starting with our new commitment to Sourcing for Equal Workplaces (SEW).

WHAT IS SEW:

SEW – Sourcing for Equal Workplaces (SEW) takes our legacy of commitments to women to new heights, challenging our clothing suppliers to put practices that empower women at the heart of their daily operations, as well as invest in gender equality.

But we know actions speak louder than words. So together with global nonprofit BSR, we created a proprietary tool to measure the progress of our suppliers through seven scoring elements related to gender equality and women’s empowerment, holding them to higher standards.

SEW IS JUST ONE OF OUR MANY INITIATIVES

This new commitment continues ascena’s longstanding focus on responsible sourcing and supporting women in its global supply chain.

“I am so proud to be a part of SEW, this amazing new initiative that demonstrates our continued commitment to support women in our supply chain and provides a platform to thread our purpose from end to end.”

– Philippa Abeles, Chief Sourcing Officer, ascena retail group, inc.

Our SEW Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Scoring Elements

Commitment

The supplier demonstrates an organizational commitment to, and support for, gender equality and women’s empowerment. They have proactively established initiatives that support women’s empowerment and have integrated gender equality into their business strategy.

Representation and Leadership

The supplier ensures that management levels and worker committees proportionally represent women and have established management systems to ensure the continuity of equal representation. The supplier also provides support for women seeking leadership positions.

Policies and Processes

The supplier institutes and enforces gender sensitive policies and processes that create a supportive workplace for all workers, including women.

Training Programs

The supplier integrates reoccurring worker trainings, especially for women workers, on topics related to gender equality, leadership and health- including prevention of sexual harassment in factory induction programs.

Gender-disaggregated Data

The supplier collects and analyses gender-disaggregated data for the entire workforce. Data is collected for topics including employee recruitment, reasons for turnover and absenteeism, incidents of discrimination (related to sex/gender), and corrective actions taken. The supplier uses this information to inform their approach and investments in worker wellbeing, gender equality, women’s empowerment, and/or women’s leadership.

Gender Inclusive Workplace Culture

The supplier promotes gender equality in the workplace, creating a better working environment for workers and management.

Community

The supplier actively engages with the community in which it is located on topics of gender equality or women’s empowerment. The supplier may engage with the community through financial support of women’s empowerment initiatives or interact with community leaders and events to educate and inspire the population on gender equality and ending violence against women.

Commitment

The supplier demonstrates an organizational commitment to, and support for, gender equality and women’s empowerment. They have proactively established initiatives that support women’s empowerment and have integrated gender equality into their business strategy.

REPRESENTATION AND LEADERSHIP

The supplier ensures that management levels and worker committees proportionally represent women and have established management systems to ensure the continuity of equal representation. The supplier also provides support for women seeking leadership positions.

POLICIES AND PROCESSES

The supplier institutes and enforces gender sensitive policies and processes that create a supportive workplace for all workers, including women.

TRAINING PROGRAMS

The supplier integrates reoccurring worker trainings, especially for women workers, on topics related to gender equality, leadership and health- including prevention of sexual harassment in factory induction programs.

GENDER-DISAGGREGATED DATA

The supplier collects and analyses gender-disaggregated data for the entire workforce. Data is collected for topics including employee recruitment, reasons for turnover and absenteeism, incidents of discrimination (related to sex/gender), and corrective actions taken. The supplier uses this information to inform their approach and investments in worker wellbeing, gender equality, women’s empowerment, and/or women’s leadership.

GENDER INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE

The supplier promotes gender equality in the workplace, creating a better working environment for workers and management.

COMMUNITY

The supplier actively engages with the community in which it is located on topics of gender equality or women’s empowerment. The supplier may engage with the community through financial support of women’s empowerment initiatives or interact with community leaders and events to educate and inspire the population on gender equality and ending violence against women.

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Ann Taylor
LOFT
Lou & Grey
Lane Bryant
Cacique
Catherines
Justice

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Empowering Women in our Supply Chain starts here.

WHAT IS SEW:

SEW IS JUST ONE OF OUR MANY INITIATIVES

Commitment

Representation and Leadership

Policies and Processes

Training Programs

Gender-disaggregated Data

Gender Inclusive Workplace Culture

Community

Commitment

REPRESENTATION AND LEADERSHIP

POLICIES AND PROCESSES

TRAINING PROGRAMS

GENDER-DISAGGREGATED DATA

GENDER INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE

COMMUNITY

OUR COMPANY

OUR BRANDS

OUR CULTURE

OUR CAREERS

INVESTORS

OUR COMPANY

OUR CULTURE

INVESTORS

OUR BRANDS

OUR CAREERS