Levi's has a well-established business based on years of upholding a business culture framed around strong values and hard work. In 1965 it opened up its International Division and since then has been franchising extensively. The first Original Levi's Store outside of the U.S. was established in Spain in 1983. Since then it has grown successfully across 110 countries. Franchising is crucial to the success of the business, as half of its net revenue comes from outside the U.S.
Levi's presence is quite prominent in the U.S., Canada, Western Europe and Japan. Its headquarters for dealing with business in the Americas is in San Francisco, with the European headquarters located in Brussels. In 2011 CEO Chip Burgh cut down on 150 franchises in India, because there were quite a few only operating one or two stores. Now there are only 22 franchises which operate a larger number of stores, increasing efficiency.
Year established | 1973 |
Year franchise established | 1965 |
Year franchise established in Europe | 1983 |
Number of units worldwide | 2,800 |
Number of countries where company operates | 110 |
Corporate Responsibility
Charities, sponsorship
In 2011, the Worker Well Being initiative was introduced as a way for the company to address the needs of its employees, first by listening and identifying the issues and then aiming to meet the worker's needs.
Environment
Levi's are very aware of how precious water is and they are committed to reducing water usage within the company. One way of doing this is through the Better Cotton Initiative, which encourages the growing of cotton in a healthier way for the community and the environment. The program requires the use of water to be maintained in an efficient way.
Carbon dioxide has a huge influence on Climate Change, something Levi's is aware of, and so made a conscious effort to reduce the company's carbon footprint by 13% between the years 2007 and 2011. The company eventually aims to use 100% renewable energy.