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.
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