Nordstrom empowers women through its private label

Nordstrom is putting its private label products at the center of its list of human rights and female empowerment goals that it aims to hit by 2025.

Seattle-based Nordstrom said the goals are simply to give consumers responsibly made products and it starts with their own brands.

“Nordstrom is committed to offering our customers a selection of products they can feel good about because they know they’re made in a responsible way,” said Jennifer Jackson Brown, president of Nordstrom Product Group. “That commitment starts with our own private label brands. We work closely with factories that make our Nordstrom Made brands to ensure they’re meeting our guidelines to create a safe, healthy and fair workplace for the women and men who work there.”

Additionally, Nordstrom will continue to work with the Business for Social Responsibility  HERProject and announced a new partnership with CARE, a global nonprofit fighting poverty and social injustice by empowering women and girls.

As for the specific goals to achieve in the next five years, Nordstrom aims to have 90% of its store brand Nordstrom Made products made in factories that show investment in women’s empowerment; have 90% of Nordstrom Made items traceable back to the factory it was made; have 100% Nordstrom Made suppliers pay a living wage to factory workers; and make sure it continues to invest in organizations that support women’s empowerment and to create trainings and resources within its supply chain to reflect this.

Nordstrom began as a shoe store in Seattle in 1901 and now operates 380 stores in 40 states in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. It also runs 246 Nordstrom Rack locations and e-commerce businesses.

The retailer said the importance of the empowerment goals is because women make up the majority of Nordstrom employees, its customer base and people working in the supply chain.