Find us on Twitter Find us on LinkedIn Search Query Kontoor Brands, Inc. HOME ABOUT BRANDS NEWS INVESTORS CAREERS SUSTAINABILITY CONTACT Inclusion and Diversity STRATEGIC PRIORITIES DATA INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY PROGRESS REPORT OUR PEOPLE ERGS COMMUNITY INITIATIVES NEWS We Are Kontoor At Kontoor Brands, our purpose is to be the common thread that inspires people to live with passion and confidence. To be the common thread, we all must come together – one stitch at a time…just like the products we make. No matter who you are, where you’re from, who you love, or how you identify, we’re all cross-stitched together at Kontoor. "The natural connection between Inclusion & Diversity and our business strategy is a powerful one. We’re determined to strengthen that connection, from the way we recruit and develop talent, to the way we show up in the marketplace and in our communities as inclusive brands. Each one of us is accountable to strive to achieve our strategy, measured on our ability to create a growth culture that is worthy of our greatest aspirations." - Scott Baxter President, CEO and Chair of the Board I&D Strategic Priorities Standing for Inclusion & Diversity isn’t enough. We must take action. In August 2020, we announced our first global Inclusion & Diversity strategy, identifying our areas of focus, setting measurable goals for how we will drive change and detailing actionable plans for how we will get there. Workplace Belonging Strategy Foster a culture of inclusion and respect that encourages collaboration, flexibility and equity to ensure all employees feel heard, valued and empowered to reach their full potential. Objectives Launch inclusivity training for all global employees in 2020, with 100 percent of senior leadership completing an intensive training program in 2021. By end of 2020, launch an engagement survey to establish a baseline for culture, sentiment and inclusion measures and areas of improvement. Workforce Diversity Strategy Recruit, retain and promote from a diverse group of candidates to increase diversity of thinking and perspective. Objectives Reach gender parity at Director level and above by 2030. Increase U.S. BIPOC1 representation from 38%2 to 50% by 2030. Increase U.S. Black representation from 11%2 to 16% by 2030. Increase U.S. BIPOC representation at Director level and above from 15%3 to 25% by 2030. Marketplace Equity Strategy Drive Inclusion & Diversity through brand marketing, images and messaging. Objectives By end of 2020, conduct a marketing audit of brand content, including online and in-store collateral, and other marketing/ advertising initiatives to establish a baseline of inclusion measures and areas of improvement. Sustainability & Accountability Strategy Identify and break down systematic barriers to full inclusion and equity by constantly evaluating and improving our policies, practices and processes. Objectives Commit to annually sharing our progress toward our Inclusion & Diversity objectives. 1 Black, Indigenous, People of Color 2 Representation data as of June 1, 2020 when objectives were set 3 Data as of July 1, 2021, when this new objective was added Workforce Diversity Driving change starts with providing transparency in where we are in our Inclusion & Diversity journey today. We commit to sharing annual updates with our progress toward our strategic priorities and objectives. 2021 2020 GLOBAL GENDER GLOBAL GENDER BY LEVEL RACE & ETHNICITY (U.S.) RACE & ETHNICITY – DIRECTOR LEVEL AND ABOVE (U.S.) Global Gender (n=14,397) Inclusion and Diversity Progress Report 2021 Inclusion and Diversity Progress Report Our People Matt Janes Wrangler® Marketing Director, EMEA "I’m absolutely obsessed with everything that’s going on in the office. Our creative ideas are primarily internally bred within the team. We’re our own little mini-agency." READ MATT'S STORY Minnie Tang Marketing Manager, Wrangler® Asia Pacific, Hong Kong "I love working with our global teams to adapt our rollout plans for a specific market or country. It's very challenging, but I also find this to be the most interesting part of the work." READ MINNIE'S STORY Laura Ann McWhorter Director of Sales, Kontoor Brands, North America "Kontoor’s culture is one of partnership and teamwork, where everyone has a voice." READ LAURA'S STORY Arketa Fairley Ecommerce Merchandise Manager, Kontoor Brands, North America "There’s a healthy competition amongst the teams…however, we all come to work as one team and all opinions are welcomed. I’m comfortable speaking up because it’s like being part of a family." READ ARKETA'S STORY Employee Resource Groups At the center of our commitment to evolve and grow our company and workplace culture are our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). ERGs at Kontoor are voluntary, employee-led groups that foster diversity of thought, build community, and provide support for professional and personal development. These communities drive initiatives that employees identify, own and execute with peers across the global Kontoor network. When launching our Inclusion & Diversity strategy last year, we committed to expanding and globalizing our ERG network. To date, we have 15 ERGs across 9 countries. Here are a few activities our ERGs have led over the last year: Engage Diverse Group to Excellence, “EDGE” (India), is focused on bringing harmony to Kontoor. The group encourages connections through social gatherings, team engagements, virtual yoga, community service and other fun activities. The Diversity Networking Association, “DNA” (United States), is focused on creating a culture that embraces our differences, nurtures and attracts a diverse employee base, and guides our brands to help meet the needs of all consumers. This year, the group has been instrumental in leading important conversations around Black History Month, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and other holidays, providing an opportunity for employees to share their personal stories and to hear from outside speakers. LGBTQ+ Inclusion for Everyone, “LIFE” (United States), is focused on celebrating, promoting and advocating for LGBTQ+ employees at Kontoor and within the communities in which we operate. In honor of PRIDE Month, the group hosted a T-shirt design contest. The winning designs were featured on shirts which were available for employees to purchase with all proceeds from the sales being donated to a local LGBTQ nonprofit organization. WeKare (Hong Kong) is focused on demonstrating our care to the community and the environment by providing Hong Kong employees with a platform to serve in a variety of causes that promote love, sharing and compassion. Through their community service efforts, the group of 60-plus volunteers has distributed more than 1,300 lunch box meals to the underprivileged and collected more than 6,000 masks to provide to those in need in the community. For a complete list of Kontoor’s ERGs, click here. Community Engagement Fostering community engagement is a key component of our Inclusion & Diversity strategy and we are dedicated to making positive contributions to our communities through local and national partnerships via monetary donations, sponsorships and volunteer efforts. We are building meaningful relationships with organizations focused on activities like mentoring, pro bono services and volunteerism, to be a positive force for good. International Civil Rights Museum Time To Vote Charitable Donations Addressing Systemic Racism Greensboro, N.C. is not only home to Kontoor’s global headquarters, but it’s also home to the International Civil Rights Museum. The museum is located at the site of the first sit-in in the U.S., where four black college students sat down at a whites only lunch counter to stage a non-violent protest against segregation. Kontoor’s Diversity Networking Association (DNA) ERG, along with members of our Executive Leadership Team, hosted tours of this important institution for employees. Other Initiatives Learning and Development In addition to inclusion learning programs launched in 2020, we introduced a global mentorship program using anonymous matching to remove bias and assumptions, creating employee pairings that break down barriers typically formed by location, hierarchy or functional areas. Additionally, we introduced regional I&D book and movie clubs to continue our focus on dialogue and empowerment. Recruiting To increase our diversity of thought and experience, we must recruit, retain and promote from a diverse group of candidates. In addition to continued education for hiring managers, we implemented a new candidate relationship management platform to better engage with a pool of diverse candidates, while deepening our relationships with historically Black colleges and Universities and non-profits. I&D Councils The mission of our recently formed Inclusion & Diversity Councils is to promote and foster a culture of Inclusion & Diversity for Kontoor that attracts, develops and empowers talent around the world to position Kontoor and its brands to deliver relevant and reliable clothing for the next 100 years and beyond. The Councils will bolster the direct connection that exists between Inclusion & Diversity and our business strategy, strengthening our culture and accelerating our growth as a company. Leadership Accountability As part of every leader’s annual performance plan, we will embed and emphasize I&D goals and competencies, reinforcing accountability across our organization. Systemic Accountability All employees are measured against our Valuing Diversity competency, which outlines the critical actions and behaviors that employees, at all levels, can demonstrate to support creating a high-performance culture that is inclusive, equitable and diverse. This competency is also directly mapped to Kontoor’s Values. Serving Underrepresented Voices We will continue to support local community organizations through our volunteerism and engagement efforts. We also provide monetary support to organizations that are aligned with our Inclusion & Diversity ambitions. News VIEW ALL Feature Story Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month By: Kontoor Brands News Team Tags: Inclusion and diversity, Employees Feature Story The Common Thread By: Scott Baxter, President, CEO and Chair of the Board Tags: Announcements, Culture, Inclusion and diversity, Kontoor Feature Story Catalyzing Sustainable Growth by Cultivating a Diverse and Inclusive Culture By: Kontoor Brands News Team Tags: Inclusion and diversity, Culture Join Our Team We are looking for inclusive, creative, and forward-looking employees with a passion for creating innovative apparel products and accessories that give people the confidence and freedom to express themselves. VIEW CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Sustainability Through our three pillars, People, Planet, and Product, Kontoor Brands emphasizes protecting the environment, sourcing products and materials from companies that share our values, and operating with the highest standards of ethics and transparency. 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