Levi Strauss & Co.
Jeans started as an invention for the American worker in 1873 and quickly became the uniform of progress. Worn by miners, cowboys, rebels, rock stars, presidents and everyday men and women, this functional denim staple were the clothes people not only worked in—they lived their lives in, too.
From its humble beginnings, Levi’s® have come to represent the purest wearable form of authentic self-expression. With 500 stores worldwide, and products like jeans, casual wear and accessories available in more than 100 countries with brands that include Levi’s®, Dockers®, Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ and Denizen®, the values of empathy, originality, integrity and courage power the company’s commitment to “drive profits through principles” and, in the words of CEO Chip Bergh, “choosing the harder right over the easier wrong.”
This ethos drove the company to integrate American factories before the Civil Rights Act, to be the first multinational to establish a comprehensive code of conduct for suppliers, to set industry-leading climate and water use targets across its entire supply chain, and to speak out on critical issues of the day, including gun violence prevention, voting, support for vulnerable communities and LGBTQ+ equality.
As Bergh wrote last year at the time of the company’s IPO, “our value and our values are inextricably linked, and I believe it is false to say we or any company must choose between business performance or responsible social conduct. The most successful companies do both.”
