Currently, we live in a time where some of the most popular brands in the world are starting campaigns focusing on empowering women. Promoting education, women in tech and even fighting for maternity leave rights. These are some of our favourite brands and campaigns active at the moment!
Raven + Lily
Raven + lily are a Texas-based luxury fashion brand on a mission to eliminate poverty and empower women by providing access to sustainable income. To achieve this, they work hand in hand with artisan groups of at-risk women based in countries such as Pakistan, US, Haiti, Malaysia and Guatemala.
Raven + Lily are a certified B Corporation (B Corp is to business what Fair Trade is to coffee). They are focussed on alleviating poverty among women by offering fair trade wages, safe jobs, and sustainable incomes, all alongside healthcare and education opportunities. If luxury fashion and supporting women’s rights are what makes you tick then head on over to Raven + Lily.
People Tree
People Tree is a UK based fashion brand accredited by the WFTO, the Fairtrade Foundation, and the Soil Association. Over the last 25 years People Tree has been working with mostly female producers aiming to empower women through providing control around how they work, as well as how proceeds are used within their community.
People Tree has a partnership with Agrocel supporting the growth of organic cotton. At Agrocel, women are paid the same as men and given paid maternity leave, helping them save and plan for the future.
P&G
The corporate giant P&G are paving the way for companies supporting female empowerment with their latest campaign #WeSeeEqual aiming to fight gender bias. This campaign is running on Youtube, Facebook and Instagram and features a video showing men, women, boys and girls defying gender stereotypes. P&G is a conglomerate company which owns a huge variety of other brands such as Pantene, Ariel and Fairy meaning that this gender equality mentality can spread its wings even further. The three aforementioned brands have all supported gender equality in recent years, however, this is the first time it has been bought under P&G’s large corporate umbrella.
P&G marketing director is reported to have stated their aim is to “create new expectations for people to live up to.”
Western Union
Western Union are recognising the importance of education through supporting early schooling for young females all over the world. Its global campaign celebrates the power of education in helping girls reach their goals. The TV and Online ad further mentions its ‘Chain of Betters’ initiative, encouraging the idea for a selfless society through asking people to enter a ‘selfless good deed’ which has the chance to get turned into reality.
Alongside this, Western Union are on track to train 50,000 women and youth across America, Europe, Africa and Asia by 2020. Western Union have also launched a global scholarship scheme supporting students around the world who want to pursue a post-secondary education within certain fields such as science and technology.
Microsoft
Global tech giant Microsoft are showing others how it’s done through their campaign titled ‘Make What’s Next.” This campaign is part of an effort to encourage girls to enter tech related industries.
The two minute ad is set to run alongside shows captivating large audiences such as “Good morning America” and “Today.” It depicts young girls talking about their love for science yet failing to name and successful female scientists. Microsoft VP has stated that "We want girls to know that there are women out there that have made amazing things in whose foot-steps they can follow, we want to connect them with resources that can help them. They can do, be and invent anything they want."
As part of its initiative, Microsoft also announced a patent program that will give female inventors support in patenting their ideas. The idea is to address the reality that women hold only 7% of patents and just 15% of inventors in the U.S. are female.