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RESPONSIBILITY REPORT FISCAL 2018
R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y R E P O R T
F I S C A L 2 0 1 8
C O N T E N T S
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L E T T E R S F R O M O U R L E A D E R S H I P 4
R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y R E P O R T
F I S C A L 2 0 1 8
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A B O U T A S C E N A R E TA I L G R O U P I N C .
A S C E N A R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y
O U R F U N D A M E N TA L P R I N C I P L E S
O U R H I G H L I G H T S
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We are transforming our business at ascena. Together,
we are focused on becoming a collective of healthy,
thriving brands that are loved by our customers. Whether
it’s through reinvigorating our brands, products, and
experiences; developing top-tier capabilities that enable
us to function better, faster, and more cost efficiently; or
creating new growth oppor tunities, we are evolving with
the ever-changing needs of our customer while remaining
committed to our core purpose —providing all women
and girls with fashion and inspiration for living confidently
every day. Our customer is at the hear t of everything
we do. Across our brands, we are working to meet her
expectations in every interaction she has with us.
Today, our customers and associates expect us to do
more than sell clothes. In addition to providing inclusive
fashion —for every age and size, wherever she is, and
however she wants to shop—she expects us to drive
positive change for the women and girls we serve. This
is why Responsibility is a key strategic initiative in our
transformation plan and we are setting new goals to
honor our commitment to her and our future.
Together with our associates, customers and par tners,
and collectively through our brands, we have raised and
donated $125 million in suppor t of women and girls
globally since 20051 and have delivered meaningful impact
to inspire leadership and oppor tunity, strengthening
communities, and promoting health and well-being.
Looking ahead, we are taking critical steps to continue our
Responsibility journey and build on the strong foundation
established by our brands, customers and associates.
We are committed to doubling our impact in suppor t of women
and girls and the causes they care about. Impor tantly, our goal is
to raise and contribute $250 million by 2025.
And, with her at the hear t of us, we can make a positive impact
in the lives of women and girls around the world.
O U R J O U R N E Y & C O M M I T M E N T
—
—W E B E L I E V E T H AT C A R I N G F O R
W O M E N A C R O S S T H E W O R L D ,
A N D P R O V I D I N G O P P O R T U N I T I E S
T O L E A D , G I V E B A C K , A N D
L I V E W E L L , W I L L L E A D T O A
B E T T E R F U T U R E N O T J U S T F O R
U S , B U T F O R O U R A S S O C I AT E S ,
C O M M U N I T I E S , A N D C U S T O M E R S .
—
D AV I D J A F F E
Chairman and CEO,
ascena retail group inc.
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J E A N N E T T E
F E R R A N A S T O R G A
Vice President, ascena Responsibility,
ascena retail group inc.
A S A G R O U P O F B R A N D S T H AT
C H A M P I O N S T H E C O N F I D E N C E ,
L E A D E R S H I P, A N D W E L L - B E I N G O F
W O M E N A N D G I R L S , W E A R E P R O U D
T O S H A R E O U R F I R S T C O L L E C T I V E
R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y R E P O R T.
This repor t launches our new strategy, Her, at the Heart of Us,
and is intended to provide insight to our stakeholders about our
Responsibility journey. Since ascena’s acquisition of ANN INC.
in 2015, we are coming together for the first time2 to announce
our collective Responsibility strategy and goals.
The journey to develop our new Responsibility strategy is based
on the foundation of our culture, our people, and our business.
We have taken time to thoughtfully align on a common vision to
set our goals while affirming our commitment to women and girls
and establishing best practices across our enterprise. Embarking
on this journey has enabled us to build a sustainability vision guided
by our diverse customers, associates, par tners, and communities
where we do business.
H E R , AT T H E H E A R T O F U S
Helping women and girls thrive is at the hear t of our corporate
vision and Responsibility mission. We are inspiring her to lead,
through education and training; strengthening her community, by
giving back and paying forward; and promoting her health and well-
being through our long-term health and charitable par tnerships.
We aim to help women and girls be the best versions of themselves
by empowering them in everything we do. By focusing our programs
and partnerships to support and inspire women and girls around
the world, we are building a foundation that fulfills our mission to
provide fashion and inspiration for living confidently every day.
W E A R E B U I L D I N G A B E S T - I N - C L A S S
R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y P R O G R A M
Our strategy leverages our collective strengths and individual
legacies. It includes setting Responsibility goals for our associates,
supply chain, operations, products, and communities. It also
establishes an enterprise-wide function to suppor t our brands.
The new Responsibility Center of Excellence, where our work
is centralized for the enterprise, will drive our agenda and set
our standard for impact.
G R O W I N G O U R C O L L E C T I V E I M P A C T
Together, our eight brands have a multigenerational legacy of
making a meaningful difference for women and girls, through
our associates, customers, par tners, and communities.
We stand firmly united with women and girls around the world,
and look forward to regularly sharing our progress on that
commitment with our stakeholders and the global community.
As one of America’s largest retail groups for women, we believe
we can harness our collective reach to drive positive change for
women and girls everywhere. Embedding this purpose into every
aspect of our work is an imperative for us and for our business.
We’re proud to share the work that we’re doing to keep
her at the heart of us.
O U R R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y V I S I O N
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A B O U T A S C E N A R E TA I L G RO U P I N C.
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DSOur name ascena suggests ascension. It reflects our growth as a retail group and our mission to enhance
the lives of women and girls. We are a collective of healthy, thriving brands that are loved by our customers.
We believe that every brand of the ascena collective is a contribution to our success.
O U R B R A N D S
—
Ann Taylor has evolved with the needs of real women,
who live full, happy and accomplished lives, for more than
60 years.
We are her go-to style destination for apparel, shoes,
and accessories. It’s more than just getting dressed:
we get her ready.
LOFT creates modern, feminine, and versatile clothing for
a wide range of women with one common style goal:
to look and feel confident, wherever the day takes them.
From everyday essentials to attainable trends, LOFT
consistently serves up color, print, pattern, and novelty that
never compromises on quality and fit (from petites to plus
to tall to maternity).
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Lou & Grey delivers style and comfor t, inspired for
millennial women. Lou & Grey offers a thoughtfully
designed and edited collection of easygoing, texture-rich
styles for every day.
Whether she’s shopping the collection or highly curated
third-par ty product, Lou & Grey takes her from lounge
to street and beyond—so that she has all the feels, all
the time.
maurices inspires women of all shapes and sizes to look and
feel great by offering an authentic and welcoming boutique
experience and celebrating the community connections we
all share.
We are passionate about suppor ting those who suppor t
others—teachers, nurses, moms, military women and
spouses—and giving back to those women in our communities.
dressbarn has offered fashion for women that provides
confidence and fits her lifestyle for more than 50 years.
Featuring casual, wear-to-work and special occasion apparel,
dressbarn celebrates all sizes, and is committed to inspiring
women to look and feel beautiful.
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Justice believes girls are the future and focuses on building
confidence and self-esteem in young girls ages 6 to 12 by providing
the hottest fashion merchandise and accessories, inspiring them to
be themselves, pursue big dreams, and lift each other up.
Justice believes girls are the future and focuses on building
confidence and self-esteem in young girls ages 6 to 12 by
providing on-trend fashion merchandise and accessories,
inspiring them to be themselves, pursue big dreams, and lift
each other up.
Lane Bryant has challenged norms for over 110 years,
since its star t when Lena Bryant created the first known
commercially sold maternity dress.
Today as the nation’s leading retailer of women’s special size
apparel, Lane Bryant and Cacique, our sexy and comfor table
intimates collection, we champion body equality with a focus
on fashion and fit.
Catherines was founded over 50 years ago by a woman
determined to change her community. A fashion leader in
extended plus sizes, Catherines works to help every woman
feel beautiful and is dedicated to bettering communities.
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“In the 1960s, there was a social stigma that went along
with being a working woman and a wife, and dressbarn
was created to reach that woman. We wanted her to
have a place where she could purchase work clothes
and have a good experience. When you have a dream,
you do what it takes.”
R O S LY N S . J A F F E
Co-founder of dressbarn, a trailblazer for women
F I S C A L 2 0 1 8 H I G H L I G H T S
—
O U R B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S
45% of our Board of Directors are women
—
O U R A S S O C I AT E S
64,000 global associates
95% of our associates are women
62% of our VP-and-above executives are women
75% of our Directors-and-above are women
97% of our 4,600 stores are led by women
—
R E C O G N I T I O N
• Ranked on Forbes’ Best Employers list, 2018
• Ranked on Forbes’ Best Employers for Women list, 2018
• A Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality, scored 100% on
the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2018 Corporate
Equality Index
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A S C E N AR E S P O N S I B I L I T Y—
O U R S T R AT E G Y, G O A L S , A M B I T I O N S , A N D P R O G R E S S
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F A S H I O N A N D I M PA C T O U R C O M M U N I T I E S , I N S P I R I N G A L L W O M E N A N D G I R L S TO C H A N G E T H E W O R L D .
—
O U R G O A L I S T O D O U B L E O U R I M P A C T
I N S U P P O R T O F W O M E N A N D G I R L S A N D
T H E C A U S E S T H E Y C A R E A B O U T B Y 2 0 2 5 .
T O G E T H E R W I T H O U R A S S O C I A T E S ,
C U S T O M E R S , A N D P A R T N E R S , W E A I M T O
R A I S E A N D C O N T R I B U T E $ 2 5 0 M I L L I O N
I N S U P P O R T O F W O M E N A N D G I R L S
G L O B A L L Y T O H E L P T H E M B E T H E I R B E S T
S E L V E S T H R O U G H O P P O R T U N I T I E S T O L E A D ,
S T R E N G T H E N C O M M U N I T I E S , A N D L I V E W E L L .
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I N S P I R I N G L E A D E R S H I P & O P P O R T U N I T Y
Through education and training, we aspire to give women and
girls what they need to find their voice and lead. We promote and
inspire women through our leadership, mentorship, and grants.
S T R E N G T H E N I N G C O M M U N I T I E S :
I N T E R N A L LY & E X T E R N A L LY
We aim to strengthen women to care for their communities
by giving back and paying forward—for our associates in our
corporate campuses and store locations, for our supplier
workplaces, and for our customers through campaigns—
strengthening the communities in which we operate and live.
P R O M O T I N G H E A LT H & W E L L - B E I N G
We invest in women and children’s health and well-being, actively
helping them live their best lives in thriving communities through
our long-term health and charitable par tnerships suppor ting causes
impor tant to her.
We focus on inspiring women and girls—our customers,
associates, suppliers, and the communities where we do
business—to put their best selves forward every day and
live confidently.
Our goal is to double our impact in suppor t of women
and girls and the causes they care about by 2025.
Together with our customers, associates, and par tners,
we aim to raise and contribute $250 million in suppor t
of women and gir ls globally to help them be their
best selves through oppor tunities to lead, strengthen
communities, and live well.
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We are committed to the health and well-being of women and girls.
We are committed to developing women leaders and supporting gender equality.
We are committed to par tnering with more suppliers in water access effor ts
to help more women and families secure access to safe drinking water.
We are committed to increasing our use of sustainable materials, engaging
associates to reduce our materials and product waste, and helping our
customers shop more sustainably.
We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint by working in
our operations and with our suppliers to lower resource and energy
consumption, waste, and greenhouse gas emissions.
We are committed to building par tnerships with nonprofit organizations
focused on creating positive change for women and girls.
Our new strategy, Her, at the Heart of Us, is guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus
on improving the lives of women and girls globally, through oppor tunities to lead, strengthen communities, and live well. The SDGs,
launched in 2015 and agreed upon by 193 countries, call upon businesses and public-private collaborations to address social and
economic challenges and drive progress for humanity. We acknowledge the impor tance of each of the 17 SDGs and have identified
the six where we feel our work can make the greatest impact.
S U S TA I N A B L E D E V E L O P M E N T G O A L S O U R F O C U S
O U R S U P P O R T O F T H E S U S TA I N A B L E D E V E L O P M E N T G O A L S
12 R E S P O N S I B L E C O N S U M P T I O N A N D P R O D U C T I O N
6 C L E A N WAT E R A N D S A N I TAT I O N
5 G E N D E R E Q U A L I T Y
17 P A R T N E R S H I P S F O R T H E G O A L S
13 C L I M AT E A C T I O N
3 G O O D H E A LT H A N D W E L L - B E I N G
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A M B I T I O N
Through education and training, we aspire to give women and girls what they need to find their voice and lead.
We promote and inspire women through our leadership, mentorship, and grants.
S U S TA I N A B L E D E V E L O P M E N T G O A L S
P R O G R E S S P R O G R E S S N O T E S
Engage 100% of people managers in strategies to
broaden our impact for inclusion, diversity, and respect
in the workplace.
Introduce mentorship programs for women and diverse
associates to drive associate engagement and retention.
Improve the transparency of the hiring and
development of women associates.
Enable 100% of suppliers with tools to provide
workplaces suppor ting women.
Set baseline on number of women and girls impacted
globally through our partnerships and signature programs.
• Launched Enterprise Learning Por tfolio,
a web platform of associate learning resources.
• Senior leaders have received Respect in the
Workplace training.
• Unconscious Bias training is being developed.
• Launched Development Days, full days focused
on associate career development.
• 62% of our VPs-and-above are women.
• 75% of our Directors-and-above are women.
• 97% of our 4,600 stores are led by women.
• Established enterprise-wide Code of Conduct
for Merchandise Suppliers to enable workplaces
suppor ting women.
• Signature par tnerships identified including
Roslyn S. Jaffe Awards, HERlead, Girls on the Run.
Due: 2019
Due: Ongoing
Due: Ongoing
Due: 2020
Due: 2020
G O A L S
I N S P I R I N G L E A D E R S H I P & O P P O R T U N I T Y
—
G E N D E R E Q U A L I T Y P A R T N E R S H I P S F O R T H E G O A L S
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Commit to setting environmental impact reduction
goals in our supply chain to reduce our footprint to
mitigate climate change risks to local communities.
Validate factories manufacturing ascena brands on
their performance of treated wastewater to eliminate
hazardous chemicals.
Educate customers and associates on product end
of life, sustainable fashion, and lifestyle through
communications and marketing activations.
Increase par ticipation in ascenaCARES programs.
• Expanded the adoption of Higg FEM 3.0 to ascena
CONNECTS suppliers. Use the data collected to set
a benchmark and identify reduction targets.
• Launched wastewater compliance minimum
requirements.
• Collected 6,000 boxes of gently used clothing
donated through Give Back Box.
• Designated days of giving back in the community,
for example, International Women’s Day.
• Launched enterprise-wide tracking and reporting
tool to measure associate and volunteer engagement.
• Launched Community and Philanthropy Committee
with brand and campus representation.
Due: 2020
Due: Ongoing
Due: Ongoing
Due: Ongoing
S T R E N G T H E N I N G C O M M U N I T I E S : I N T E R N A L LY & E X T E R N A L LY
—A M B I T I O N
We aim to strengthen women to care for their communities by giving back and paying forward—for our associates in our corporate campuses3
and store locations, our supplier workplaces, and our customers through engagement—supporting the communities in which we operate and live.
S U S TA I N A B L E D E V E L O P M E N T G O A L S
P R O G R E S S P R O G R E S S N O T E SG O A L S
G E N D E R E Q U A L I T Y
P A R T N E R S H I P S F O R T H E G O A L S
C L E A N WAT E R A N D S A N I TAT I O N
R E S P O N S I B L E C O N S U M P T I O N A N D P R O D U C T I O N C L I M AT E A C T I O N
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P R O G R E S S P R O G R E S S N O T E S
Align product donations to organizations committed
to suppor ting women and girls.
Par tner with more suppliers in water access effor ts in
local communities, helping women and families secure
access to safe drinking water.
Launch Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) as a strategic
business imperative.
Launch D&I Committees and Associate Resource
Groups (ARGs) on each corporate campus.3
Commit to setting an ambitious enterprise-wide carbon
reduction target.
Achieve zero-waste cer tification in distribution center
and fulfillment facilities.
Launch recycling and waste minimization awareness
programs in all corporate campuses.
• $2.35 million in product donations with over $1 million
in product directed to women and families recovering
from hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.
• Launched a multi-year partnership with the
Planet Water Foundation to secure clean water
in global communities.
• Sponsored the Human Rights Campaign’s Business
Coalition for the Equality Act.
• Ranked on Forbes’ Best Employers and
Best Employers for Women lists in 2018.
• Scored 100% on the Human Rights Campaign
Corporate Equality Index, earning recognition
as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality.
• Signed the CEO Action Pledge for D&I.
• ascenaPride and Working Parents ARGs and have
launched across our campuses.
• Gathering data to set a baseline in 2019.
• Repurposed 3.5 million vendor car tons to pack
product to stores and recycled over 6,000 tons of
cardboard, the equivalent of over 100,000 trees saved.
• Reduced the purchase of new car tons by 70%,
saving up to $3 million in a year.
• During Earth Month, provided our corporate and retail
associates with tips on conservation and waste reduction.
• Held a clothing drive competition among select
corporate campuses and stores, collecting nearly
40,000 items.
Due: 2020
Due: 2022
Due: Complete
Due: 2019
Due: 2020
Due: 2025
Due: 2020
G O A L S
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P R O G R E S S P R O G R E S S N O T E S
Reach 1 million pounds of donated store fixtures and
materials through our community impact program.
Extend product life cycle through recycling, upcycling,
and par tnerships contributing toward our journey to
a circular commitment.
Increase sustainable raw materials sourcing in our
apparel, focusing on more sustainable natural and
synthetic fibers.
Extend our policies and best practices across all ascena
brands to drive humane and ethical sourcing.
• Achieved 700,000 pounds in donations since 2012.4
• Actively exploring oppor tunities to upcycle materials
from our product samples and returns, turning waste
and used materials into new products.
• Launched Sustainable Materials Committee with
brand and campus representation.
• Lane Bryant piloted a Sustainable Collection, its first
eco-conscious collection of T-shir ts and jeans made
from Repreve,® an eco-tech fiber produced from
recycled plastic bottles.
• The ANN brands have par tnered with the Better
Cotton Initiative (BCI). Since launching the
par tnership in 2015, they have significantly increased
the volume of Better Cotton sourced from
approximately 5% to 15%. In 2017,4 sourced over
2,000 metric tons of Better Cotton through BCI.
• Our brands will no longer source new private label
products with mohair, and our Animal Welfare
program will extend across all of our brands over time.
Due: 2020
Due: Ongoing
Due: Ongoing
Due: 2020
G O A L S
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Advance corporate par tnership with the Breast Cancer
Research Foundation (BCRF) to commit to 1.2 million
research hours by 2022.4
Expand women’s empowerment initiatives to a broader
group of women in our supply chain, and extend our
global reach and impact through increased training.
• Since 2005, recognized as BCRF’s top corporate
fashion donor ; raising nearly $40 million, together
with our clients, funding 25 BCRF researchers and
nearly 800,000 research hours.
• Empowered 100,000 women in our global supply
chain in partnership with BSR’s HERproject by
providing training to improve health and financial
literacy outcomes.
Due: 2022
Due: 2022
P R O M OT I N G H E A LT H & W E L L - B E I N G
—A M B I T I O N
We invest in women and children’s health and well-being, actively helping them live their best lives in thriving communities
through our long-term health and charitable par tnerships suppor ting causes impor tant to her.
S U S TA I N A B L E D E V E L O P M E N T G O A L S
G E N D E R E Q U A L I T Y
P A R T N E R S H I P S F O R T H E G O A L S
P R O G R E S S P R O G R E S S N O T E S
Pending In-progress Completed
G O A L S
G O O D H E A LT H A N D W E L L - B E I N G
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O U RF U N DA M E N TA LP R I N C I P L E S
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G O V E R N A N C E
—
O U R C O M M I T M E N T T O
R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y B E G I N S
AT T H E T O P, W I T H T H E
O V E R S I G H T B Y A S C E N A’ S
B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S .
The Vice President of Responsibility has day-to-day accountability
for the strategy and programs while leading the global team and
a Responsibility Council comprising cross-functional business
leaders appointed to unite stakeholders and fur ther drive impact
across ascena’s organization and brands. The Chairman and CEO
serves as the Executive Sponsor for the Responsibility Council.
The Responsibility work is centralized within a Center of
Excellence (CoE), serving as a hub for all brands to access and
share leading practices to align with our Responsibility agenda.
H O W W E W O R K
—W E P A R T N E R W I T H R E L E VA N T
C R O S S - F U N C T I O N A L T E A M S
T O H E L P T H E M A D O P T R E S P O N S I B L E
P R A C T I C E S T H A T E N A B L E
T H E M T O P L A N , M A R K E T, A N D
C O M M U N I C AT E O U R E N T E R P R I S E
R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y A G E N D A .
By working across our enterprise teams toward our Responsibility
goals, we are embedding responsibility in everything we do and
enhancing our business processes.
O U R C O M M I T M E N T T O T R A N S P A R E N C Y
I S C E N T R A L T O O U R S T R AT E G Y
As we build our CoE, we are designing new ways to measure,
track, and share our performance. We recognize that responsibility
measurement takes organization-wide coordination, and we look
forward to sharing our process with our stakeholders. We want
our customers, associates, and par tners to know who makes
our clothes and to feel confident that what is produced is made
responsibly and sustainably. In 2018, the ANN brands published
100% of their tier 1 private label apparel factories, and the list
will be updated annually. We strive to increase transparency of
our merchandise supply chain over time.
O U R P O L I C I E S A N D C O M M I T M E N T S
In 2014, the ANN brands became the first U.S. women’s specialty
retailer to commit to the Women’s Empowerment Principles
(WEP), a set of guidelines developed by the UN to advance
women in the workplace. We are dedicated to promoting gender
equality at every level of our business. From our corporate
campuses to the factory floor, we integrated responsible sourcing
practices to create a supply chain that suppor ts women.
For more information on our supply chain policies,
visit http://ascenaretail.com/our-company/responsibility/
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W E P A S S I O N AT E LY B E L I E V E T H E Q U A L I T Y
O F O U R P R O D U C T S B E G I N S W I T H T H E
T R E AT M E N T O F T H E P E O P L E W H O M A K E
T H E M . W E G O W E L L B E Y O N D M O N I T O R I N G
O U R S U P P L I E R S B Y D E V E L O P I N G T H E
L O N G - T E R M P A R T N E R S H I P S N E E D E D
T O C R E AT E R E A L C H A N G E T H AT H E L P S
I M P R O V E T H E L I V E S O F W O R K E R S W H O
M A K E O U R P R O D U C T S .
In 2018, we developed one enterprise-wide social and
environmental compliance program for merchandise suppliers.
Suppliers are governed by one code of conduct, supplier
management process, auditing protocol, and remediation program.
Prior to this integration, we were operating multiple factory
compliance programs across the business, with different
rating systems. The program unification will strengthen our
relationship with our supplier base and will provide the basis
for ascena’s merchandise suppliers to suppor t all workers in
our global supply chain with safe, lawful, humane, and socially
and environmentally responsible conditions.
O U R S U P P LY C H A I N
—
A D VA N C I N G O U R C O D E O F C O N D U C T
F O R M E R C H A N D I S E S U P P L I E R S T O
S U P P O R T W O M E N I N T H E W O R K P L A C E
In 2018, we launched an updated enterprise-wide ascena
Code of Conduct for Merchandise Suppliers aligned with
globally recognized standards for fair wages and benefits,
health and safety, and anti-discrimination tied to women’s
empowerment. The code was specifically aligned to UN
Sustainable Development Goal 5, to focus on the issues
women uniquely face in factories—part of our overall
commitment to supporting women.
The code is also guided by the UN Guiding Principles on
Business and Human Rights and the International Labor
Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and
Rights at Work (1998).
Our private label brands are manufactured in over 1,200 facilities
and in 27 countries. We commit to driving a responsible supply
chain by par tnering with merchandise suppliers that share our
values and we will repor t our progress on this integrated program
in future updates.
O U R E X P E C TAT I O N S
We have rigorous programs, policies, and procedures in place
to drive a positive impact on the lives of the workers who make
our products. We work closely with our suppliers to improve
factory conditions and drive them to address compliance issues
when they arise. By reviewing all of our effor ts and evaluating
their impacts, we are continuously learning how to drive lasting
change, while holding ourselves and our suppliers to the highest
ethical standards.
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M O N I T O R I N G
We launched one comprehensive audit protocol for
all facilities manufacturing ascena brands with a detailed
rating system to enforce our Code of Conduct. We prioritize
audits based on business volume and past social compliance
performance. Third-par ty auditors conduct factory audits
on our behalf. The vast majority of factory audits are
unannounced, and our CoE supply chain sustainability
team periodically shadows the auditors.
Any findings of zero tolerance issues require immediate
corrective action and remediation, and where necessary,
we may terminate its business relationship with any
supplier that is unwilling to comply with these terms.
We are a brand par tner of Better Work, a flagship program
of the UN’s International Labor Organization that is jointly led
by the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation.
Better Work is a par tnership that reduces duplicate audits and
conflicting remediation messages by centralizing assessment
and corrective action and training oppor tunities to improve
labor compliance standards of the country. We accept Better
Work’s assessments in lieu of our own social compliance
monitoring program and defer remediation to Better Work’s
continuous-improvement advisory process.
We’ve expanded our par tnership with Better Work and as
a result, we’ve tripled our factory count enrolled in the program.
Additionally we engage with our suppliers through the Better
Work program to provide women with oppor tunities to lead.
R E M E D I AT I O N
We know that remediation is key to driving sustainable
changes in addressing and improving compliance in the
long run. If noncompliance issues are discovered in a factory
or subcontractor, our CoE team will follow up with the
supplier to understand how the issue will be addressed.
Suppliers will be asked to meet with our team to discuss
the noncompliance findings. We use a risk-based approach
to determine the level of remediation that will be required
and recommended for our suppliers.
O U R A P P R O A C H T O W O R K I N G
W I T H O U R S U P P L I E R S
Our Code of Conduct for Merchandise Suppliers serves as
a foundation for supply chain responsibility, but our effor ts
go far beyond establishing and communicating expectations.
We have developed a rigorous approach to training, monitoring,
and par tnering with suppliers, all geared toward continuous
improvement.
During the onboarding process, suppliers must commit to adhering
to our Code of Conduct. The code defines our expectations for
transparent, ethical, and responsible manufacturing and specifically
addresses our zero tolerance issues such as business integrity/
corruption, discrimination, harassment, forced labor, child labor,
unauthorized subcontracting, and violations of standards on
minimum wage, health and safety, environmental conditions,
and freedom of association.
On a regular basis, we review overall performance of suppliers
to determine ongoing business strategies and allocation. Through
our holistic Supplier Scorecard, suppliers are recognized for
improvements to social, labor, and environmental management.
P R E - A P P R O VA L & S U P P L I E R O R I E N TAT I O N
Our CoE reviews new facilities before they are approved to
manufacture our products. We expect full transparency from
our suppliers throughout their supply chain. Once a supplier
is approved, it will par ticipate in a new-supplier orientation to
discuss expectations and business impacts of poor compliance.
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We realize each supplier might be at a different level in terms of
compliance, and we consider this when determining the type of
remediation needed. To drive continuous improvement, we work
with factories to create realistic goals, which allow them
to demonstrate sustainable progress and results within an
agreed-upon timeframe.
C A P A C I T Y B U I L D I N G
& S U P P L I E R E N G A G E M E N T
ascena CONNECTS is our signature capacity-building program
for strategic suppliers to help them drive best-in-class supply
chain sustainability programs. We recognize that auditing alone
will not drive long-term change in our supply chain. ascena
CONNECTS serves as a platform to advance the social and
environmental impacts of our strategic suppliers, providing
tools and best practices to deliver strong performance at their
facilities and build leading supply chain sustainability programs. In 2018, the program expanded to 17 suppliers operating in
8 countries, representing 38% of ascena’s apparel supply chain.
M E A S U R I N G P E R F O R M A N C E
Open, honest, and ongoing communication with our suppliers
is essential to meeting our commitment to responsible sourcing.
Throughout our relationships with suppliers, we stress the
impor tance of shared communication, and we are transparent
about how social compliance affects our business allocations.
ascena SCALE, our compliance rating system, is used to
communicate compliance performance to our suppliers and
within our organization. The rating scale guides Sourcing and
Merchandising in driving business with suppliers that achieve
better compliance levels, and reduces or terminates business
with poor performers.
D R I V I N G O U R S U P P L I E R S ’
E N V I R O N M E N TA L P E R F O R M A N C E
In 2012, the ANN brands were the first women’s specialty retailers
to join the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), an industry-wide
group of leading apparel and footwear brands, retailers, suppliers,
nonprofits, and nongovernmental organizations working to reduce
the environmental and social impacts of the apparel industry.
During this time, the ANN brands introduced the Higg Facility
Environmental Module (FEM) Index to the supply chain, tracking
key areas of supplier environmental impact: management systems,
energy savings, compliance in water use, and wastewater
quality improvements.
The ANN brands have a high rate of adoption of the Higg Index
with our strategic suppliers. In addition, we have integrated Higg
performance into our holistic Supplier Scorecard, in which social
responsibility performance is considered in overall business
evaluation of suppliers.
To advance broader industry practices, we also worked closely
with the SAC and other adopters to develop the Higg FEM 3.0,
which will enable more sophisticated supplier performance
assessments and tracking. We expect our suppliers to commit
to enhanced and quantified sustainability goals, and to demonstrate
continuous improvement in environmental performance.
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“The Sustainable Apparel Coalition is proud to par tner with ascena as par t of our mission to reduce unnecessary environmental harm and have a positive impact on the people and communities associated with the apparel industry. ascena has been an excellent SAC member, engaging in numerous pilot projects and playing a role as a key contributor to the development of the Higg Facility Environmental Module and SAC’s verification program.”
J A S O N K I B B E Y
CEO, Sustainable Apparel Coalition
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I N 2 0 1 8 , W E E X P A N D E D
T H E A D O P T I O N O F H I G G
F E M 3 . 0 T O A S C E N A
C O N N E C T S S U P P L I E R S .
—We have also adopted Higg FEM 3.0 with the ANN brands top
mills to drive sustainable improvement. Our goal is to use the
data collected through Higg FEM 3.0 to set a benchmark and
identify environmental reduction targets by 2020.
R E S P O N S I B L E C H E M I C A L S M A N A G E M E N T
We are committed to product safety, and we provide our
suppliers with education on our Restricted Substance List (RSL)
and responsible chemical use. Our RSL provides information
on substances that are not allowed to be present in our products.
In our supply chain, we launched wastewater compliance
minimum requirements in 2018, and through unannounced
compliance audits, we will validate factories manufacturing
ascena brands on their performance of treated wastewater
to eliminate hazardous chemicals.
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O U R O P E R AT I O N S & T H E E N V I R O N M E N T
—We recognize the negative impact of our industry on the
environment and are on a journey to mitigate these effects.
We are taking steps to reduce our environmental footprint and
climate change risks posed by our operations including our stores,
corporate campuses,3 distribution centers, and fulfillment centers.
— O U R G O A L S F O R M I N I M I Z I N G
O U R E N V I R O N M E N TA L I M P A C T
I N C L U D E C A R B O N R E D U C T I O N ,
Z E R O WA S T E F A C I L I T I E S , R E C Y C L I N G
A N D WA S T E M I N I M I Z AT I O N , A N D
R E P U R P O S I N G S T O R E M AT E R I A L S .
—M A X I M I Z I N G E N E R G Y E F F I C I E N C Y &
R E D U C I N G O U R C A R B O N F O O T P R I N T
We are constantly looking for ways to maximize energy efficiency.
The steps we have taken include educating our associates and
encouraging them to adopt sustainability-driven behaviors;
obtaining LEED Gold cer tification for our Mahwah, New Jersey,
headquar ters and for our Riverside, California, Distribution
Center (DC), which includes LED lighting and Energy Management
Systems; and installing solar panels in our Riverside DC.
Fur thermore, the majority of our corporate campuses are
equipped with light motion sensors that help us reduce our
energy consumption, and some of our stores now use Energy
Management Systems.
R E P U R P O S I N G S T O R E M AT E R I A L S T O S E R V E
O U R C O M M U N I T I E S
The ANN brands par tner with the nonprofit Good360 to
connect our stores with an online product donation marketplace.
Donating store materials reduces operations waste and provides
an oppor tunity to give back to communities in need. Since 2012,4
the ANN brands have donated fixtures and materials from nearly
300 stores, diver ting over 700,000 pounds of store fixtures and
materials from landfills and aiding more than 250 local nonprofits
that suppor t women and families.
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“Having a 10-year-old daughter, it is extremely impor tant
for me to suppor t nonprofits that help make a positive
impact in women’s lives. Through our continued
par tnership with Good360, I have the oppor tunity to
accomplish that goal on a consistent basis, as well as
diver t waste from ending up in landfill.”
J A S O N S H A P I R O
Senior Manager, Operational Readiness, ascena
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TA C K L I N G WA S T E
By reusing vendor car tons to pack product from distribution
center to store, we have reduced the purchase of new car tons
by 70% and have saved up to $3 million in a year. We are also
aiming to adopt higher-grade car tons to increase their reuse
and optimize units packed per car ton.
Looking ahead, we are setting ambitious waste-targeted goals
for our DCs and corporate campuses, including our goal of
zero-waste DC facilities by 2025, and launching recycling
awareness programs in all corporate campuses3 by 2020.
“We repurpose 3.5 million car tons per year in our retail distribution center to store operations and have recycled over 6,000 tons of cardboard, which is the equivalent of over 100,000 trees saved.”
B R U C E W O N G
Associate Vice President, Engineering and Facilities, ascena
I N V O LV I N G A S S O C I AT E S
Our associates are passionate about reducing our footprint.
We work together to conserve energy through simple measures
such as going digital to reduce paper consumption, and recycling
paper when printing is necessary.
For Ear th Month 2018, we provided our corporate and retail
associates with tips on conservation and waste reduction.
We held a clothing drive competition among select corporate
campuses and stores, collecting nearly 40,000 items.
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I N N O V AT I N G O U R S U S TA I N A B L E P R O D U C T S & M AT E R I A L S S T R AT E G Y
—W E A R E U S I N G M O R E
S U S TA I N A B L E M AT E R I A L S
A C R O S S O U R B R A N D S
T H A N E V E R B E F O R E ,
I M P R O V I N G P R O D U C T
T R A C E A B I L I T Y, A N D
E D U C AT I N G O U R
C U S T O M E R S A B O U T
S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y
B E S T P R A C T I C E S .
S U S TA I N A B L E M AT E R I A L S
We define a sustainable material as any
material that is better and preferred
for the environment and society in
comparison to conventional fibers.
We are committed to increasing our
procurement of sustainable natural
and synthetic materials.
In addition, ascena is proud to par tner
with Textile Exchange,™ a global
nonprofit that works closely with its
members to drive industry transformation
in preferred fibers, integrity and standards,
and responsible supply networks. Textile
Exchange focuses on minimizing the
harmful impacts of the global textile
industry and maximizing its positive effects.
In 2018, Lane Bryant piloted a Sustainable
Collection, its first eco-conscious
collection of T-shir ts and jeans made
from Repreve,® an eco-tech fiber
produced from recycled plastic bottles.
The ANN brands have par tnered with
the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), which
exists to make global cotton production
better for the people who produce it,
better for the environment it grows in,
and better for the sector’s future. Since
launching the par tnership with BCI in
2015, the ANN brands have significantly
increased the volume of Better Cotton
sourced from approximately 5% to 15%,
and in 2017,4 and sourced over 2,000
metric tons of Better Cotton through BCI.
“Last year, BCI reached over
1.5 million farmers in 21
countries around the world.
The suppor t of our committed
Retailer and Brand Members
is key in achieving our goal
of sector transformation.”
D A R E N A B N E Y
Membership Engagement
and Marketing Manager, BCI
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W E A R E E D U C AT I N G C U S T O M E R S A N D
A S S O C I AT E S O N C I R C U L A R S O L U T I O N S
F O R P R O D U C T “ E N D O F L I F E , ”
S U S TA I N A B L E F A S H I O N , A N D L I F E S T Y L E
T H R O U G H C O M M U N I C AT I O N S A N D
M A R K E T I N G A C T I VAT I O N S
We offer programs that engage customers and associates
in extending the lives of our products and reducing waste.
Through our par tnership with Give Back Box, associates
and customers can print a free shipping label from our
website to donate clothing and accessories to charities
such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army. As of 2017,4
our customers and associates have donated over 6,000
boxes through Give Back Box. We are also increasing
the amount of sustainable materials used within our
apparel so customers can feel good about their purchases.
We will continue to explore oppor tunities to fur ther
upcycle materials to be used for our product line, while
researching additional circular options.
We are actively exploring oppor tunities to upcycle materials
from our samples and returns, turning waste and used
materials into new products. For example, we are working
with manufacturers of eco-friendly upcycled accessories and
apparel to test oppor tunities for our damaged goods and
window display fabrics and investing in closed-loop research.
—
W E W I L L C O N T I N U E
T O I N N O VAT E T O C L O S E
T H E L O O P O N O U R
P R O D U C T L I F E C Y C L E
A N D VA L U E C H A I N .
—
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I N S P I R I N G L E A D E R S H I P & O P P O R T U N I T Y
—
C U LT I VAT I N G C A R E E R S
& L E A D E R S H I P B Y W O M E N
Three of our brands were founded by women. Today, 97% of
field management, 62% of our VPs-and-above, and 75% of our
Directors-and-above are women. Having women decision-makers
helps us better serve the women who make up our customer and
store associate base. We are developing a mentorship program
for emerging women and minority associates to build our next
generation of leaders.
E N A B L I N G 1 0 0 % O F S U P P L I E R S W I T H
T O O L S T O P R O V I D E W O R K P L A C E S
S U P P O R T I N G W O M E N
By aligning our Code of Conduct for Merchandise Suppliers
with globally recognized standards for fair wages and benefits,
health and safety, and anti-discrimination, and through our
strategic par tnerships, we focus on the issues women uniquely
face in factories.
T R A I N I N G & D E V E L O P I N G P E O P L E
M A N A G E R S
We commit to developing all of our people—par ticularly those
who are responsible for developing other people. All people
managers will have the oppor tunity to engage in trainings,
including, Respect in the Workplace and Unconscious Bias.
We are building programs that establish the foundation for our
culture of learning and development. Our Enterprise Learning
Por tfolio is a web platform of associate learning resources, and
Development Days are full days focused on associate career
development. We strive to integrate diversity and inclusion themes
in trainings. Cultivating respect in the workplace and avoiding
unconscious bias will be core content for leaders and associates.
Through education and training, we aspire to give women and girls what they need to find their voice and lead.
We promote and inspire women through our leadership, mentorship, and grants.
9 7 % O F O U R
4 , 6 0 0 S TO R E S
A R E L E D B Y
W O M E N
97%
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R O S LY N S . J A F F E AWA R D S
We celebrate everyday heroes who make
the world a better place for women
and children. The Roslyn S. Jaffe Awards
program, through ascena Foundation,
marks its fifth year in 2018, recognizing
these individuals and has awarded
$625,000 in grants to 17 organizations
led by women.
R E C O G N I Z I N G W O M E N C H A N G E - M A K E R S & E Q U I P P I N G F U T U R E C O M M U N I T Y L E A D E R S—
H E R L E A D F E L L O W S H I P
We want to equip women and girls
at every phase of their journey and
encourage young women to become
the next generation’s leaders through
the HERlead Fellowship. In par tnership
between ascena and Vital Voices, whose
mission is to invest in women leaders
who improve the world, the Fellowship
is designed to empower young women
with the necessary skills and mentorship
to transform their communities. Since
2011, through the HERlead Fellowship,
310 high school-age girls have been
trained through nine forums, impacting
70,000 people.
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M E A S U R I N G O U R I M P A C T
We are committed to inspiring millions
of women and girls around the globe to
live confidently and be their best selves
through oppor tunities to lead, strengthen
communities, and live well. We are
determined to work with our customers,
associates, and par tners to quantify
this impact.
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S H O W I N G P R I D E A C R O S S
O U R B R A N D S & C A M P U S E S
Across our brands and campuses, we
sponsored and par ticipated in Pride
marches in Columbus, Ohio, and New
York City. Through product offerings at
LOFT, Lou & Grey, Lane Bryant, Cacique,
and window displays at select Ann
Taylor, LOFT, and Lou & Grey stores,
we suppor ted GLSEN, an organization
committed to creating safe school
environments for LGBTQ youth.
S T R E N G T H E N I N G C O M M U N I T I E S : I N T E R N A L LY & E X T E R N A L LY
—
B U I L D I N G D I V E R S I T Y
& I N C L U S I O N
ascena was ranked on Forbes’ Best
Employers list and Best Employers
for Women list in 2018 and scored
100% on the Human Rights Campaign
Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index,
earning recognition as a Best Place to
Work for LGBTQ Equality. In 2018, D&I
was launched as a strategic business
imperative, empowered by the signing
of the CEO Action for Diversity and
Inclusion Pledge. We are increasing
our effor ts to train our associates and
promote dialogue around D&I.
C R E AT I N G R E S P E C T F U L
& T H R I V I N G W O R K P L A C E S
We are committed to building an
ascena community with a strong culture
of diversity and inclusion.5 We established
a central D&I office and local D&I
committees to drive a company-wide
diversity agenda. Additionally, we are
launching Associate Resource Groups
at each corporate campus to drive
engagement, develop talent, and connect
our associates. Through our Associate
Resource Groups, we suppor t and
strengthen each other. For example, our
Working Parents Resource Group aims
to promote, discuss, and provide tools
for work-life balance.
We aim to strengthen women to care for their communities by giving back and paying forward—for our
associates in our corporate campuses3 and store locations, our supplier workplaces, and our customers
through engagement—suppor ting the communities in which we operate and live.
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I N V E S T I N G I N O U R C O M M U N I T I E S
Since 2005, our brands and customers have collectively raised
and donated $125 million1 for our charitable par tners.
Our 2018 campaigns raised and donated over $18 million. In
addition, through our par tnership with Delivering Good, we
contributed $2.35 million of in-kind products to 25 recipient
organizations focused on women’s empowerment in the U.S.
and Canada. Delivering Good unites retailers with community
organizations serving people impacted by pover ty and tragedy
with new merchandise to offer hope, dignity, and self-esteem.
P E L O T O N I A R I D E F O R
C A N C E R R E S E A R C H
Our associates share a passion for many things; among
them is strengthening their communities. Based in the
Columbus, Ohio, area, Lane Bryant, Cacique, Catherines,
Justice, and our ascena Brand Services teams suppor t
local cancer research organization Pelotonia. Founded
in 2008, Pelotonia was established with the objective
to fund life-saving cancer research for the Ohio State
University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ar thur G.
James Cancer Hospital, and Richard J. Solove Research
Institute. Pelotonia is a three-day experience that includes
a weekend of cycling, enter tainment, and volunteerism.
We are proud to be par t of Pelotonia and to join other
members of the Columbus community to suppor t
research to end cancer. More than 150 ascena associate
bike riders, vir tual riders, and volunteers have raised and
donated over $630,0004 for cancer research.
“Pelotonia is striving to change the world by
mobilizing purpose-driven communities for
innovative cancer research to eventually end
cancer. It’s impor tant to me because I, like so
many, have seen loved ones fighting, winning,
and losing the battle. For ascena to
understand how important this is, and
sponsor a team every year, is one of the
main reasons I love working for this
company.”
K AT H Y Q U I C K E R T
Associate Vice President, Marketing Operations,
Lane Bryant and Catherines
E N G A G I N G O U R W O R K F O R C E I N
C O M M U N I T Y V O L U N T E E R I S M
We are building a culture of volunteerism and increasing
par ticipation in our associate engagement programs through
service oppor tunities with local nonprofit organizations that
suppor t women and girls. In 2018, our campuses across the U.S.
engaged in a service event suppor ting International Women’s
Day and hosted a multicampus intern volunteer event to increase
engagement between our interns and our communities.
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A S H A R E D C O M M I T M E N T F O R M A K I N G T H E W O R L D A B E T T E R P L A C E—
ascena and its brands have a rich history of giving. ascenaCARES is the collective charitable initiatives and endeavors of ascena, its brands,
ascena Foundation, and Dimes from the Hear t to suppor t our associates and the communities in which we live and work. ascenaCARES
initiatives include matching gifts to associates’ chosen nonprofit organizations, the ascena Foundation Scholarship Program, Crisis Relief,
and ascenaCARES Associate Awards. Together, we have a shared commitment for making the world a better place for the women and girls
we serve, for the communities where we live and work, and for our dedicated associates.
“All of us can make a difference every day. Whether it’s par ticipating in our programs or a random act of kindness for another associate, every one of us can make sure ascenaCARES is not just the collective of our charitable initiatives and endeavors; it’s a par t of who we are and what we do.”
E L I S E J A F F E
Senior Vice President, Real
Estate, ascena, and Executive
Sponsor, ascenaCARES
M AT C H I N G G I F T S C O N T R I B U T E D TO
M O R E T H A N 1 3 0 C H A R I T I E S I N 2 0 1 8.
M O R E T H A N 2 8 0 S T U D E N T S A W A R D E D
O V E R $ 1 . 2 M I L L I O N I N S C H O L A R S H I P S .
S I N C E 2 0 1 5,4 3 3 A S C E N A C A R E S A S S O C I AT E
AWA R D S H A V E B E E N G I V E N .
I N 2 0 1 7 4 O V E R $ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 WA S R A I S E D A N D
D I S T R I B U T E D T H R O U G H D I M E S F R O M T H E H E A R T.
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D I S A S T E R R E L I E F
We work with local par tners, including the American Red Cross,
to aid our associates and customers affected by crisis situations.
In 2017,4 our brands united to help those affected by hurricanes
Harvey, Irma, and Maria. Together, we donated over $1 million
worth of product to our par tner, Delivering Good, for women
and children recovering from these disasters.
“It was a hard time when Hurricane Maria hit
the island; no one is ready for a natural disaster.
I star ted to contribute to Dimes from the
Hear t two years ago, not knowing the huge
impact we can make for others, with just a
dollar per paycheck.”
J O S E P H S O T O
LOFT Outlet Store Manager, Puer to Rico
“When our home was struck by lightning, my
family and I were devastated. We lost our
puppy and home to the intense fire and smoke
damage. The Dimes from the Hear t program
helped us during a difficult time. We are truly
appreciative and grateful for the suppor t of the
ascena family. Without associates contributing
to this fund, it would not exist.”
E L I S A F U S S
Director, Product Integrity and Quality
Assurance, ascena Global Sourcing
D I M E S F R O M T H E H E A R T
Associates make direct donations and raise funds to
help other associates in times of need. In 2017,4 over
$500,000 was raised and distributed through 476 grants,
reflecting twice as many payments to associates in need
from the prior year.
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H U M A N E & E T H I C A L
S O U R C I N G
It is impor tant to us that our products
are manufactured in a responsible
manner, are safe, and are of a consistent
high quality. With those benchmarks in
mind, we are making changes to drive
ethical sourcing. For example, our brands
will no longer source new private label
products with mohair, and our Animal
Welfare program will extend across all
of our brands over time.
A C C E S S T O C L E A N WAT E R
In 2018, we launched a multi-year
par tnership with the Planet Water
Foundation to secure clean water in
global communities. Our first project
together was in a community in the
greater Hanoi area of Vietnam, at a school
near one of our suppliers. A team of
associate volunteers worked to construct
and commission the AquaTower, which
will provide clean water access to the
community, suppor ting up to 1,000
people per day.
“We are not only providing clean
water and hygiene education to
the children in the community,
but also empowering them to
empower others around them.”
C H A R L O T T E W O N G
Supply Chain Sustainability
Manager, ascena
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P R O M OT I N G H E A LT H & W E L L - B E I N G
—We invest in women and children’s health and well-being, actively helping them live their best lives in thriving
communities through our long-term health and charitable par tnerships suppor ting causes impor tant to her.
S U P P O R T I N G T H E H E A LT H
O F W O M E N & T H E I R F A M I L I E S
Breast Cancer Research Foundation®
Ann Taylor and LOFT’s charitable par tnership with BCRF launched
in 2005. ascena’s suppor t has funded nearly 160 research
projects at major BCRF par tner medical and academic institutions
translating to nearly 800,000 hours of research time. In the 2017–
184 research cycle, ascena suppor ted 25 BCRF researchers, 21 of
whom are women. Our suppor t has enabled significant progress in
the full spectrum of breast cancer suppor t which helps us connect
with women in the breast cancer community at all stages of their
journey, specifically funding research in breast cancer causes and
prevention, and development of new treatments and diagnostic
tests, with an emphasis on metastatic breast cancer and quality-of-
life research. This investment approach will help enable the longest,
highest quality of life for all women.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®
Since 2007, our brands have collectively raised and donated more
than $49 million1 for St. Jude, which sees about 8,500 children each
year and has developed treatments that have helped improve the
overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% when the hospital
opened in 1962, to more than 80 % today. We are celebrating over
a decade of charitable par tnership with St. Jude and are proud to
be the hospital’s largest fashion par tner.
Unveiled in 2018, the St. Jude Garden Grown by LOFT celebrates
our ongoing charitable par tnership, representing a $17.5 million
commitment from LOFT. The garden contains 3,000 square feet
of planting area for growing fruits and vegetables used in meals
for patients of St. Jude and their families. Patients and families can
spend time in the garden, which also includes an orchard planted
with apple, pear, plum, and persimmon trees.
“Seeing the suppor t that comes from every single person
during our Season of Giving for St. Jude is indescribable.
I didn’t fully comprehend our impact until I visited St. Jude.
To see that the money we raised created a space for
families to enjoy, as well as provide thousands of pounds
of produce to feed the children and their loved ones at
St. Jude, is a feeling of pride and joy that I can’t put words to.”
M A C K E N Z I E H A L P I N
Manager of Product Development and Production,
Ann Taylor, LOFT, and Lou & Grey
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Nationwide Children’s Hospital®
Our Nationwide Children’s Hospital
campaigns across Justice, Lane Bryant,
Cacique, and Catherines raised and
donated over $6.21 million, continuing
our five-year charitable par tnership.
We are proud to suppor t the hospital’s
mission to ensure that no child is
refused necessary care and attention
for lack of means.
Girls on the Run®
A charitable par tnership launched in
2017 with Justice includes an integrated
campaign incorporating the “Live Justice
Values:” Live Active, Live Connected,
Live Together, Live Smar t, Live Positive,
and Live Creative. These values directly
correlate to the dedication Girls on the
Run has to providing physical activity-
based, positive youth development
programs that inspire girls to be healthy,
joyful, and confident. Justice committed
to donate at least $1.1 million to Girls
on the Run and has surpassed that goal,
raising $1.48 million through spring 2018.4
“Giving back is a cornerstone
of our Justice brand. We
care deeply about positive
community involvement, and
the holiday season is a very
meaningful time to be a par t
of something as unique and
important as the work done at
Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
We are beyond happy to have
them as our par tners in sharing
a message designed to inspire
giving in its greatest sense.”
L E C E L O H R
President, Justice
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In 2014, the ANN brands made a
commitment to empower 100,000
women in our global supply chain
community through providing health
or financial literacy training. To achieve
our goal, we formed a charitable
par tnership with Business for Social
Responsibility (BSR) on HERproject,
an initiative that benefits low-income
women working in global supply chains.
Through HERproject, we provide health
or financial literacy training to women
working with our suppliers.
We met our goal, and we are now
exploring ways to expand on this
impact and reach more women in
the supply chain.
I N O U R S U P P LY C H A I N—
“ascena has been a key strategic
par tner for HERproject. The
commitment to empower
100,000 women allowed us
to implement workplace
programs at scale, increasing
not just our impact but our
exper tise and evidence. It
also allowed HERproject to
pursue innovative models
like HERnetwork, where local
NGOs implement HERproject
independently in remote
communities. Our joint effor ts
are based on a core shared
belief: When women working
in supply chains have the
confidence and ability to shape
their lives through choices
they value, they can be a huge
positive force for change.”
C H R I S T I N E S VA R E R
Director, HERproject, Business
for Social Responsibility
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I M P A C T O F H E A LT H T R A I N I N G S
I M P A C T O F F I N A N C I A L L I T E R A C Y
T R A I N I N G S
increase in women who have
performed self-examinations to
recognize symptoms of breast cancer 38%
increase in women using sanitary napkins
(rather than pieces of factory cloth) 26%
increase in women being aware
that HIV can be prevented 25%
increase in women eating breakfast
daily, signaling stronger nutrition 23%
increase in respondents who believe
they will be able to meet their family’s
future expenses in the next two years50%
increase in respondents who
save regularly22%
increase in respondents who track
their expenses32%
At the launch of HERproject in each factory, BSR asked our supply
chain workers questions related to health and financial literacy.
BSR then asked these workers the same questions after the
training concluded. Based on these results, we are proud to see
that the trainings had a meaningful impact on the knowledge and
behavior of our supply chain workers.
We have also found that suppor ting women in our supply chain
to realize their own empowerment has had positive impacts
on business. Par ticipants repor ted that the trainings led to
strengthened relationships between workers in the factory
and supplier management.
Taking par t in HERproject has helped women to feel valued in
the workplace and created space for women to raise their voices
and be heard. Our suppliers have repor ted reduced turnover and
absenteeism as a result of HERproject training.
In addition, through an ROI study that the ANN brands
commissioned, results showed increased productivity in three
Indian factories. Results from the study demonstrate that factory
output per worker increased by 3.4%, 4.8%, and 18.9% respectively.
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1 This total includes funds raised and donated by the
ANN brands prior to their acquisition by ascena
retail group inc. in 2015.2 Since this is our first repor t, we will align it to our
fiscal year performance. It reflects fiscal 2018, ended
July 31, 2018. Any exceptions will be noted.3 ascena campuses, owned and leased, include locations
in Columbus, Ohio; Duluth, Minnesota; Etna Township,
Ohio; Mahwah, New Jersey; Milford, Connecticut;
New Albany, Ohio; New York, New York; Hong Kong;
Riverside, California; Shanghai, China; and Seoul,
South Korea.4 Calendar year.5 http://www.ascenaretail.com/eeo/
