JULY - 2021retailtechinsights.com8HR leaders know that Inclusion & Diversity are integral to a Company's success ­ and rightly devote a fair amount of energy to help employees embrace this view.At Kontoor Brands, we've had the good fortune to draw upon best practices and lessons learned from others, and to rely on our leadership, our process, and on employees themselves as catalysts for meaningful change.Kontoor proudly represents two iconic global brands, Wrangler® and Lee®, and we draw strength from their heritage and ambitions. We are also a new organization, created in 2019, with cultures meshing from our former parent company, our legacy brands, and the more than 600 new employees we have welcomed in the last two years.As we set out to create a place where all feel a sense of belonging, we knew our job was to meet everyone where they were and understand their perspective before asking them to go on the journey with us.We were determined to build a living, purpose-driven talent strategy that was right not only for Kontoor today, but also right for the company we aspire to become ­and that includes our focus on Inclusion & Diversity.Here are a few of the lessons we're learning on our journey so far:Leadership and Advocacy: Bringing Purpose to LifeSupport from the top is essential ­ but context from the top is even better.Our President and CEO Scott Baxter often points out that Inclusion & Diversity is not a one-off initiative at Kontoor ­ it's intrinsic to our purpose to be the common thread that inspires people to live with passion and confidence. Scott chairs our Global Executive I&D Council,and he regularly affirms the strategicimportance of Inclusion & Diversity in shaping our identity and aspirations. Having vocal leadership on these topics provides critical perspective and visibility, and itmakes it easier to encourage employees at every level to be mindful of the ways they support our I&D strategy in their day-to-day work.INCLUSION & DIVERSITY- A RECIPE FOR SUCCESSIn my opInIonBy Scott Shoener, EVP, Chief Human Resources Officer & Corporate Communications, Kontoor Brands
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