At First Women’s Bank, we know that closing the gender lending gap requires more than just a bank; it requires a movement of "originals" who are willing to put their mission into action. We are so proud to have Levi Strauss & Co. as a Mission Partner. Thank you, Michelle Gass and Harmit Singh for your partnership and commitment to this journey.
We outfit originals in the pursuit of progress. That’s Levi Strauss & Co.’s purpose statement, something we all keep in mind every day. And it is not lost on us – now during Women’s History Month, but really at all times – that so many originals are women. That’s part of why we’ve partnered closely with Beyoncé, Doechi, Rosé, Chitoshe Abe, Paige Bueckers and so many other strong, creative, innovative and industrious women in the past few years. And it’s something that’s been part of this company since its early days. All the way back in 1897, for instance, Levi Strauss himself endowed scholarships for women at the University of California at Berkeley. In 1934, Levi’s launched the first blue jeans designed specifically for women. More recently, we’ve advocated for comprehensive paid family leave policies and access to reproductive health care, knowing what both mean for the ability of women to fully participate in our economy, and the Levi Strauss Foundation has funded numerous organizations focused on the rights and well-being of women around the world. It's an honor to be part of this history and to work with so many fantastic female leaders every day. In the same spirit, I’m pleased to announce that LS&Co. recently became a Mission Partner with First Women's Bank’s Bank in Chicago, a bank that was established to address the “gender financing gap” in which women receive less than one-fifth of commercial loans made by banks and less than 4-6% of the overall dollars lent. This significantly impacts the prospects of women looking to start and run businesses and by extension impacts families, communities and the broader economy. To be clear, this is not a donation; it’s a choice to support an organization acting on the extensive evidence showing that when women thrive in the business world, the economy as a whole benefits, meaning more opportunities for everyone. A big shoutout and thank you to LS&Co. CFO Harmit Singh and his team for leading this effort – and for helping LS&Co. live up to our longstanding tradition of creating opportunities for women. One more way of outfitting originals in pursuit of progress.
very nice ! 🤙
Closing the gender lending gap takes exactly this — organizations willing to put their mission into action not just their money. Women entrepreneurs don’t just need capital. They need partners who believe in their vision before the rest of the world catches up. The partnership between First Women’s Bank and Levi’s is proof that when values align real change happens. Proud to see this movement growing right here in Chicago. Thank you First Women’s Bank!