Levi’s: Inclusion In The Seams — How A Legacy Brand Made DEI Part Of Its Operating System

Levi’s: Inclusion in the Seams — How a Legacy Brand Made DEI Part of Its Operating System

This is the third feature in our Kindall Evolve DEI Series, where we’re highlighting companies that haven’t wavered in their commitment to equity, even when the spotlight dimmed and the backlash flared.

We began with Costco, whose board sent a resounding “no” to political pressure. Then we examined Apple, whose long-game approach to equity is transforming financial pipelines from the inside out.

Today, we turn to a company that’s made equity look effortless because it’s woven into the very fabric of how they do business.

Levi Strauss & Co. may be famous for jeans, but their real legacy might be this: proving that DEI isn’t a side initiative, it’s how you run a responsible, resilient, and future-ready company.

In an era where brands jump on social movements for quick visibility and drop them just as fast when the heat turns up, Levi’s has been consistent. Whether it’s reproductive rights, gun reform, LGBTQIA+ visibility, or voting access, the company hasn’t just taken public positions—they’ve aligned internal policies and operational practices to match.

They don’t just talk about values. They incentivize them.

Five Ways Levi’s Has Operationalized DEI

1. Executive Compensation Tied to Inclusion Goals

Levi’s doesn’t leave DEI to HR. It’s baked into leadership accountability. Each year, a portion of executive bonuses is directly tied to DEI performance metrics, including representation, pay equity, and inclusive hiring benchmarks.

That means DEI isn’t just a cultural priority. It’s a financial one.

2. Transparent DEI Reporting

The company releases an annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion report with detailed workforce demographics, pay equity audit results, and updates on progress against stated goals. No vague claims. No curated data sets. Just raw numbers and clear targets.

3. Pay Equity Audits

Levi’s conducts annual global pay equity assessments, ensuring that employees doing the same job, in the same location, with the same experience, are paid the same, regardless of gender or race. This work doesn’t just reduce risk. It builds trust.

4. Inclusive Marketing with Teeth

While other brands treat social issues like seasonal campaigns, Levi’s commits. From running full-page ads defending voting rights to centering Black and LGBTQIA+ creators in global campaigns, the brand doesn’t just “include,” it amplifies.

5. Internal Culture Programs

Levi’s maintains a robust ecosystem of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), inclusive leadership training, and psychological safety initiatives. These aren’t afterthoughts—they’re funded, supported, and reported on like core business functions.

Why This Isn’t Just Smart PR—It’s Smart Business

Levi’s has outperformed many of its apparel peers in employee retention, brand trust, and ESG ratings.
The brand is frequently ranked as a top workplace for women, LGBTQ+ employees, and professionals of color.
When political or legal backlash hits, Levi’s doesn’t backtrack. That consistency has earned loyalty, especially from younger consumers who see values as part of product identity.

In other words, integrity pays off.

In a Year of Retreat, Levi’s Keeps Moving Forward

As anti-DEI sentiment ramps up across the U.S., many companies are making their efforts quieter. Less public. Less ambitious. Levi’s has stayed steady. They haven’t diluted the language. They haven’t “rebranded” their inclusion work into something more politically palatable. They’ve simply kept executing.

They’ve recognized that true inclusion doesn’t need a marketing calendar. It needs leadership, infrastructure, and follow-through.

Final Stitch: A New Standard for DEI

The Levi’s playbook is simple, but not easy:

Measure what matters.
Tie it to compensation.
Publish the progress.
Be loud externally. Be consistent internally.
Don’t cave.

While others are still debating if DEI is “worth the risk,” Levi’s is showing that the real risk is inconsistency – saying one thing and doing another.

In a divided market, Levi’s is building equity into the brand itself, and customers are buying it.

Next Up in the Series: We head to Delta Air Lines, where DEI isn’t just a mission statement, it’s a full-flight strategy. From frontline leadership development to inclusive hiring pipelines and transparent reporting, Delta is proving that equity can scale in even the most complex, global environments.

Stay tuned. This series is still climbing.