Summary:

More than ten years ago, Liz Claiborne Inc. launched Women's Work, a program designed to generate awareness, encourage involvement and educate women and their families about the pervasiveness of domestic violence. Liz Claiborne started the program with the belief that it is our responsibility to give back to those that have made us successful- our consumers and our employees.

Our goal in everything we do as part of the Women's Work program is to help create a society intolerant of abuse. By partnering with various experts on domestic violence, the campaign reaches the public with its anti-abuse message through television and radio public service announcements (PSAs), major efforts, a series of educational handbooks and more, all of which results in maximum reach within the company and among the public at large.

Program Components:

Each year, the program adopts a new position that focuses on a particular constituency, with past groups including corporate executives, college students, men, women, bystanders, parents and teenagers. Along with outreach programs to the public on a national and local level, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) was created as an internal program was developed to provide an environment of support within the company and to educate, inform and assist those employees with domestic violence issues and concerns.

Employee Outreach and the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Liz Claiborne consults with the FVPF Family Violence Prevention Fund and other nonprofit partners in establishing internal policies and procedures regarding domestic violence and has offered relationship violence awareness and assistance policy and protocol training programs to its employees the human resources, security and legal departments. A comprehensive Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides trained counselors 24 hours per day via an 800-number who handle domestic violence cases by providing counseling and referrals.

As part of its policy, the Company will, whenever possible, and allows for flexible hours and time off for associates who need to seek safety and protection, arrange new housing, attend court appearances or take care of other such matters. An increased sense of safety in the workplace is supported by providing secure work areas, special parking spaces, escorts to and from transportation guidance with legal processes and information about available resources.

Additional efforts include displaying educational posters in restrooms throughout company facilities and distributing email, memos, brochures, and payroll inserts with hotline phone numbers and other information periodically. Informative articles may be included within company newsletters and educational materials distributed every October, which is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Employees are encouraged to speak out and help others, so providing detailed information on how they can get involved is important.
Finally, offering policy and protocol training for human resources, security departments and management assists in recognizing signs of abuse and provides additional support.

Handbooks

In 1998, the program's focus turned to education and the first in a series of handbooks was created. Titled A Parent's Handbook: How to Talk to Your Children About Developing Healthy Relationships and developed in conjunction with Dr. Richard Gallagher, director of the Parenting Institute at New York University's Child Study Center, the handbook offers parents straightforward advice to help guide their children into positive and fulfilling peer and dating relationships.

During the next three years, Liz Claiborne created three more handbooks in the series. The second is titled A Woman's Handbook: A Practical Guide to Discussing Relationship Abuse. Written in collaboration with the Family Violence Prevention Fund, this booklet helps women as concerned bystanders reach out to friends, family, neighbors and coworkers they suspect may be involved in an abusive relationship.

The next handbook, What You Need To Know About Dating Violence: A Teen's Handbook, follows the story of a teenage couple in a violent relationship. It includes special sections to help teens understand dating violence and provides them with tools to deal with the issue.

As a follow-up to the teen handbook, Liz Claiborne produced a dating violence awareness and education handbook specifically targeted to parents of teens. Titled A Parent's Guide to Teen Dating Violence: 10 Questions to Start the Conversation, the guide offers parents and guardians of teens language, conversation starters and facts to help them open channels of communication.

Results/Impacts:

• Liz Claiborne has donated over 500,000 domestic violence brochures and handbooks and more than 90,000 posters to community organizations across the United States for distribution
• There has been considerable anecdotal evidence collected among Liz Claiborne associates and consumers who positively associate the company with domestic violence awareness and education