Gender GAP

Flickr image via robincd123

We all hear a lot about the exploitation of women in fashion.  From young models to factory workers, a woman’s role in fashion is often a tenuous one.  So we were thrilled, to come across a story of a big brand doing something to help women in third world countries who work to produce the world’s clothing.  The Gap Inc. is a large multi-billion dollar apparel company making a real effort to give back.  Their newest program is called P.A.C.E. which stands for Personal Advancement Career Enhancement is a huge support to women abroad.  According to Gap Inc., “Women play a critical role in the apparel industry — comprising approximately 80 percent of the world’s garment workers. Women also play a vital role in the future of societies. When we help a woman in a developing country to better her life, she’s able to make positive changes in the lives of her children, her family and her community.”

We are thrilled, that such a large company has recognized the women who are responsible for making their product, and making it such a financial success.  The fact that a program like this exists, to help women in gaining upward mobility in the workplace, is fantastic.  Gap Inc. created this program, “which helps female garment workers in developing countries advance beyond entry-level positions and fulfill their potential through education.”

Hearing about this program so recently after the Save the Garment Center Rally, we couldn’t help think about the American women in fashion.  While certainly in the US we have far greater protection, women are still lacking in full workplace equality within our industry.  How can we ignore that it was only this year, in 2009, that president Obama signed the Equal Pay Act.  It is sad to say but even women in American factories could use a similar form of support, especially when obtaining an education in this country can be a six-figure endeavor.  Not only is it the factory workers, but educated women in design, production, sales, who are not give the same opportunities, especially financially, as their male counterparts.  Even with MBAs, women in fashion could use help in breaking the still existing glass ceiling.

The Gap Inc. P.A.C.E program is an excellent example of an apparel company taking social responsibility.  While the Gap is helping garment workers in India and Cambodia advance to higher position we’d like to ask them to look domestically as well.  Gap Inc.’s CEO is a man, Glenn Murphy, and as far as we can tell they have never had a female CEO.  Not only that, but their board of directors is almost exclusively male and their top executives are more male then female.  While their demographics chart show the company is 73% female, that statistic is very vague.  No doubt the majority of their employees (i.e. their minimum wage retail sales staff) are girls and women, but how many of their corporate, six-figure, employees are female?

So what do you think? Would an updated version of the P.A.C.E program be helpful for women domestically? What about in other industries besides fashion?  Would you like a program that helped women in your office advance, receive educational support, and offer career advice?

Here is the original: 39th and Broadway