Victoria's Secret Falls Short on Gender Equality Despite Rebranding Move
By
Ali McCadden, Zenger News
On 6/29/21 at 7:30 PM EDT
Victoria's Secret parent company L Brands scored 17 out of 100 on a 2021 Gender Benchmark index published Tuesday, despite the underwear retailer's high-profile abandonment of its "Angels" catwalk show and its new slate of diverse models.
The research from the World Benchmarking Alliance evaluated how 35 of the world's largest apparel companies addressed the U.N.'s fifth Sustainable Development Goal: increasing gender equality and empowering women.
L Brands ranked 27 out of the 35, with a score of 17, some 12 points below the industry average.
With scores of 53.9/100, Gap, which also owns Banana Republic, Athleta and Old Navy, and VF Corporation — known for The North Face, Vans shoes and Timberland — topped the list. Adidas was next with a 50.1 score, and Levi Strauss & Co and Target rounded out the top five at 47.3.