Reference no: EM13839195

Gap Inc. Team Assignment

Question: What is the company doing to be socially responsible?

The company Gap Inc. is working with the simple ambition to "do more than sell clothes." This promise contently to guide the commitment of the company towards its communities it works and live and direct its endeavors so that it will augment its social and environmental performance. To become socially responsible, Gap Inc. has divided its commitment into four categories; environment, community, employees and human rights.

The company believes that more emission of greenhouse gasses (GHG) will drive climate change, melt ice caps and glaciers, increase sea levels and alter precipitation. Thus, to behave responsibly towards the environment, Gap Inc. is lessening its GHG emissions as well as an environmental footprint, by relying on energy efficient measures, conservation measures and reducing waste. The company believes that being environmentally responsible does not only mean selling green products, but also bringing changes in every aspect of the business (Gap Inc., 2015).  

Moreover, to behave in a socially responsible towards the community the company has launched P.A.C.E. (Personal Advancement & Career Enhancement) program that provide female garment workers the skills, education and technical training essential for their entire life and will help them to progress in their work and life. The company concentrates its outreach and social investments endeavors to help young women and people.  

In addition to this, for being responsible towards the employees, the founders of Gap Inc. have set up a conceited legacy of volunteerism, where numerous employees are giving back. Gap Inc. was founded with a commitment to service and liability that remains central to drawing the attention of and retaining the finest talent in the sector.

This pledge infuses nearly all the company's aspects; from its attempts to perk up working conditions in its apparel supply chain to supporting volunteerism and assisting employees to generate an impact on the communities they work and live (Gap Inc., 2015).

Besides this, in context to human rights, it is noteworthy that Gap Inc. is Gap Inc. is engaged in a lot of wide initiatives, where it work with governments, workers, and its other stakeholders to advance the working situations in its supply chain.  The company is constantly endeavoring to apply what it has learned and generate novel approaches that direct to long lasting enhancements in the well being of workers' and factory performance.

Gap Inc. has also launched an animal welfare policy to demonstrate its deep commitment to ethical product sourcing, which comprises of the humanitarian treatment of animals. Therefore, the company directs its suppliers just to utilize skins, down and feathers, and does not use real fur, resist mulesing, and prohibit animal testing.

To be socially responsible, Gap Inc. has also set up Code of Business Conduct (COBC) that establishes the expectation of the company, which its employees represent its "Do: what's right" value and perform with integrity.  The COBC is the foundation of the company for supporting a viable and ethical work environment, and aids the company to guarantee that its employees perform in a manner, which reflects its integrity and values (Code of business conduct, 2015).

Gap Inc. publishes a novel Social and Environmental Responsibility Report in every two years, and updates data yearly. The company believes that biennial reporting is a suitable timeframe considering the universal nature of the issues, which the company looks forward to proactively tackle and also enable it to dedicate the optimal allotment of resources. Gap Inc. has also developed a Human Rights Policy to assist in promoting equality and values the employees' rights, and the workers in its supply chain. Simultaneously, a Code of Vendor Conduct (COVC) has also been enforced to fetch Human Rights Policy to life. The COVC attempts to preserve workers' rights in Gap's factories (Reporting and materiality, 2015).