The foundation, Levi Strauss & Co.’s philanthropic arm, has funded causes including immigrant, LGBT, abortion and democracy advocacy. It says it advances human rights and community well-being; a separate account reports more than $378 million in grants since its 1952 founding, while another says grants reached $400 million by July 2026.
The Levi Strauss Foundation is a left-of-center grantmaking organization located in San Francisco California. It is the corporate philanthropic arm of Levi Strauss & Co., and it supports left-of-center groups who advocate for expanded immigration, LGBT interests, and other left-of-center social and advocacy causes. 1
The Levi Strauss Foundation was founded in 1952 as an institution to house Levi Strauss & Co.’s charitable giving. 1 It has provided funding to left-of-center groups and causes, to which it has granted over $378 million since its foundation. 1
PROFILE: Founded in 1952 by Levi Strauss & Co. leaders Walter Haas Sr., Walter Haas Jr., Peter Haas Sr. and Daniel Koshland, the Levi Strauss Foundation advances human rights and well-being in communities where LS&Co. does business. As of July 2026, it had made $400 million in grants since inception. The foundation is governed by a board that includes Levi Strauss family descendants and current company leaders; Fatima Angeles serves as executive director. Its four current priorities are democracy, immigrant rights, reproductive justice, and worker rights and well-being.
A grant table for the Levi Strauss Foundation lists, among other funding, $500,000 to the Center for Reproductive Rights in 2022 for U.S. advocacy, and $300,000 to the International Planned Parenthood Federation in 2024 for reproductive health services for apparel workers in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The table also records grants supporting labor, voting and civil-rights work.
<table><thead><tr><th>Amount</th><th>Year</th><th>Funder</th><th>Subject</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>$500,000</td><td>2022</td><td> The Center for Reproductive Rights Inc</td><td>To provide general support for advocacy efforts to protect women's reproductive rights in the U.S.</td></tr><tr><td>$500,000</td><td>2021</td><td> AIDS United</td><td>TO SUPPORT THE SOUTHERN HIV IMPACT FUND, A POOLED FUND THAT ADDRESSES THE HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC IN NINE STATES ACROSS THE U.S. SOUTH, TO SUPPORT COMMUNITIES IN THE UNITED STATES IMPACT BY HIV/AIDS AND COVID-19 THROUGH THE RELIEF, RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE FUND, GENERAL SUPPORT FOR HIV RACIAL JUSTICE NOW, A MOVEMENT TO ADVANCE RACIAL JUSTICE AND PROMOTE THE LEADERSHIP BY PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THE HIV/AIDS RESPONSE IN THE UNITED STATES, TO SUPPORT THE SYRINGE ACCESS FUND AND AIDS UNITED'S BROADER HARM REDUCTION WORK ADDRESSING THE HIV/AIDS AND OPIOID OVERDOSE EPIDEMICS IN THE UNITED STATES, TO SUPPORT ADVOCACY AND PROGRAMS BY AIDS UNITED'S SYRINGE ACCESS FUND THAT ADDRESS THE HIV/AIDS, OPIOID OVERDOSE AND COVID-19 EPIDEMICS IN THE UNITED STATES.</td></tr><tr><td>$460,000</td><td>2020</td><td> Faith in Action Network</td><td>TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF A LEADING SOCIAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATION IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN YEAR FOUR OF THE PIONEERS 2020 INITIATIVE. TO PROVIDE MATCHING SUPPORT FOR LEVI STRAUSS & CO. PANEL PARTICIPATION, TO LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE ACTIVATION OF MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS AND SUPPORT THE "MASKS FOR THE PEOPLE" CAMPAIGN FOR COVID-19 TESTS AND PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AMONG VULNERABLE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE U.S. TO ADDRESS SYSTEMIC RACISM AGAINST BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES IN THE UNITED STATES THROUGH ADVOCACY, NARRATIVE CHANGE AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING. TO LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE ACTIVATION OF 1MM MARGINALIZED
On 21 April 2026, the Dutch Clean Clothes Campaign, supported by SOMO and four consumers, sued Levi Strauss Nederland B.V. and Levi Strauss & Co Europe BV, alleging misleading advertising about supply-chain labor conditions. The suit links the claims to worker repression at a Turkish factory; CCC says it is awaiting a first hearing date.
… the Dutch office of the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) network, with support from SOMO, filed a groundbreaking lawsuit against Levi Strauss Nederland B.V. and Levi Strauss & Co Europe BV (together “Levi’s”), Dutch and Belgian subsidiaries respectively of denim giant Levi Strauss & Co. The core argument of the lawsuit is that Levi’s has used misleading claims about the labour conditions in its supply chain when advertising its products to Dutch consumers. CCC is joined by four individual consumers who purchased Levi’s products on the basis of the misleading claims…
Levi’s is under scrutiny following a Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) report that revealed the dismissal of approximately 400 workers by its Turkish supplier, Ozak Tekstil, after they unionized and went on strike over wages and working conditions. Despite Levi’s supplier code of conduct, which emphasizes the respect for workers' rights to unionize and strike, Ozak Tekstil fired the employees, citing "quality control errors" and insufficient legal authorization for the strike. Reports also highlighted harsh working conditions and alleged managerial abuse at the factory. Although Levi’s urged Ozak Tekstil to reinstate the workers, most did not return, and Levi’s continued its business relationship with the factory, raising concerns about the brand’s true commitment to labor standards. The dismissed workers also face blacklisting in Turkey’s job market, further complicating their precarious situation.
Levi Strauss & Co reported equal treatment and gender pay parity, but recognized in May 2020 that women were underrepresented in senior roles and Black and Latinx/Hispanic employees were underrepresented overall. It hired Elizabeth A. Morrison as chief diversity, inclusion and belonging officer to address recruitment, retention, pay equity and other challenges.
First Place Winner; 2023 DEI Global Case Writing Competition American clothing company Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) had a diverse workforce and prided itself on not discriminating against employees based on their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender. LS&Co. reported treating its employees equally and with gender pay parity. It had diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives in place. However, in May 2020 the company recognized that women held a minority of higher-level positions and Latinx/Hispanic and Black employees were underrepresented, as well. Consequently, the company hired Elizabeth A. Morrison as its new chief diversity, inclusion & belonging officer. Morrisons challenges included developing a talent pipeline of Black designers; ensuring pay equity in all the companys markets; improving the recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce; and establishing an ongoing inclusive culture. With LS&Co. as an example of a firm with both DE&I shortcomings and accomplishments, students can understand the concepts of diversity, racial discrimination, pay parity, gender equity, and inclusion, and how to apply them in business settings.
On 4 May 2022, Levi Strauss & Co said its medical benefits allowed full- and part-time employees to seek reimbursement for travel to another state for healthcare unavailable at home, including abortion and other reproductive care. The company said it was acting to protect employees’ health and reproductive rights.
Levi Strauss & Co on Wednesday expanded its current medical benefits to allow reimbursment of travel expenses for full and part time employees who would need to travel to other states for health care services, including those pertaining to abortion.
InfluenceWatch says the Levi Strauss Foundation provided $5.8 million in grants since 2016 to organizations advancing what it describes as left-of-center immigrant-rights positions. It also says the foundation partners with groups serving immigrants, asylum seekers and Black and LGBT migrants, including Define American and the Border Butterflies Project.
The Levi Strauss Foundation provided $5.8 million in grant support since 2016 to organizations advancing left-of-center perspectives on immigrants’ rights. The foundation also partners with organizations that represent illegal aliens, asylum seekers, and Black and LGBT migrants, such as Define American, a left-of-center, illegal immigration advocacy organization that works closely with entertainers and other influencers to shape public opinion regarding immigration. The Levi Strauss Foundation also partners with the Border Butterflies Project, which provides food, shelter, and other services to LGBT immigrants awaiting asylum processing at the U.S.-Mexico border. 7
The Levi Strauss Foundation’s reproductive-justice program began in 2017 and supports healthcare access, advocacy and direct services, including abortion assistance. It awarded $2.34 million through 15 grants in 2025, according to Inside Philanthropy. InfluenceWatch says the Foundation has provided more than $5.6 million since 2017 and expanded U.S. work in 2022.
The Levi Strauss Foundation’s Reproductive Justice program dates to 2017 and seeks to increase the rights and power of people facing the greatest barriers to reproductive freedom. Its current goals include protecting and expanding access to reproductive health care, strengthening narratives that support reproductive justice, and supporting organizations that provide direct services, including abortion-related financial, logistical and emotional assistance.
The Levi Strauss Foundation began openly supporting abortion advocacy groups and the transgender movement in 2017 through its Worker Well-being initiative. This included providing grants to some of the world’s largest international abortion advocacy groups, such as International Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie Stopes International (MSI) Reproductive Choices, for apparel workers in other countries to have easier access to contraception and abortion. 4
Since 2016, Levi Strauss has advocated for stronger gun laws. After the 2018 Parkland shooting, CEO Chip Bergh said the company established a $1 million fund for organizations seeking gun regulations. Bergh acknowledged customer complaints and potential alienation, but said the company’s position had not hurt business.
Since 2016, the clothing company has put its words–and cash–into advocating for stronger gun laws. “I think it’s imperative that companies not be afraid to weigh in on the issues that are really impacting the world,” says CEO Chip Bergh.
Levi Strauss & Co. is setting aside more than $1 million to prevent gun violence. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
Levi Strauss joined the Community College Commitment, which aims to register 500,000 new college-age voters by 2028, and supported registration events on more than 100 campuses in 37 states in September 2024. The company describes the effort as nonpartisan; a separate account criticizes some of its foundation’s democracy grants as opposing voter-integrity measures.
As of June 2024, the company Levi Strauss & Co is part of a get out the vote (GOTV) initiative coalition intending to increase voter participation on community college campuses. According to Levi’s vice president of public affairs Anna Walker, the goal of the new coalition is to increase turnout by 500,000 college voters by 2028. The outreach coalition membership also includes MTV, Lyft, Students Learn Students Vote (SLSV) and the American Association of Community Colleges. The initiative is expected to launch in all 50 states while offering events during certain dates including National Voter Registration Day, National Voter Education Week and Vote Early Day. While the coalition claims it will be nonpartisan, Walker admitted that it had reached out the office of First Lady Jill Biden. Walker claims that, “This, for us, has been about [voter] participation…It’s nonpartisan, every step of the way … the partners we choose to work with, and the companies we partner with to get that work done.” 9
That includes a partnership between Lyft and Levi Strauss & Co., Showtime and MTV to launch a new non-partisan initiative to increase voting among community college students.
Voter-turnout efforts have a long history at apparel maker and retailer Levi Strauss & Co. In the early days of the company, its eponymous founder closed his store in California and gave his employees days off so they could cast votes in the election of 1864. Some 160 years later, the company is still putting voting-rights at the center of its corporate activism—now with a campaign that aims to mobilize potential voters at community colleges.
Since 2019, the Levi Strauss Foundation spent over $6 million on its democracy campaign, especially funding organizations that oppose voter integrity measures and Republican-aligned redistricting efforts, which they claim are racially discriminatory. Its partners include National Trust for Local News, the Black Male Initiative Georgia, and the Fair Representation in Redistricting Project. 8
With the American political scene about as raucous and contentious as it’s ever been, a brand can be forgiven for wanting to steer clear of politics in any way. But Levi Strauss & Co. is willing to wade into that morass—most notably with last year’s “Use Your Vote” campaign. The featured spot, along with its supporting social-media outreach, did not endorse one party or issue over another, but it did make a bold statement about civic responsibility, portraying an ethnically diverse range of citizens in various nations, all setting out for polling places to cast their ballots.
A scene from a 2022 Levi Strauss & Co. voter-registration initiative at Austin Community College in Austin, Texas. Levi's aims to register 500,000 voters among community-college students by 2028.Courtesy Levi Strauss & Co
In its climate transition plan unveiled in October 2024, Levi Strauss committed to net-zero emissions across its supply chain by 2050. The company also set goals to cut Scope 3 emissions 42% by 2030 and Scope 1 and 2 emissions 90% by 2025, against stated baselines, and use 100% renewable electricity at company-operated facilities by 2025.
Denim giant Levi Strauss & Co. is committing to achieve net-zero emissions across its supply chain by 2050, the company said in its first climate transition plan unveiled last week.
On March 29, 2011, the U.S. Department of Labor said its investigation found Levi Strauss misclassified assistant store managers and headquarters employees as exempt, failed to record all hours, and owed overtime to 596 workers. The company agreed to pay $1,011,413, upgrade timekeeping and maintain compliance; the affected employees were then treated as non-exempt.
SAN FRANCISCO — Levi Strauss & Co. has agreed to pay $1,011,413 in overtime back wages to 596 employees nationwide after the U.S. Department of Labor found that the company violated overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
In June 1999, a San Francisco court-approved disposition ended a dispute over funds remaining from Levi Strauss’s $12 million antitrust settlement. The company had settled allegations of price-fixing men’s and boys’ jeans from 1972 to 1976 without admitting wrongdoing. California allocated $4.4 million to consumer research, enforcement and related programs.
The disposition, approved in Superior Court in San Francisco, ended a case begun more than 20 years ago when the Federal Trade Commission accused Levi Strauss of illegally fixing prices on men’s and boys’ jeans from 1972 to 1976.
A July 2026 Repórter Brasil investigation alleged cotton from a Mato Grosso farm, where inspectors cited conditions analogous to slavery, was sold to Bunge and could reach manufacturers serving Levi’s. Levi Strauss said it examines supplier, subcontractor and subsidiary relationships for potential forced-labor links; the supplied excerpt gives no brand-specific traceability conclusion.
Levi Strauss & Co. said it examines all relationships involving suppliers — as well as their subcontractors and subsidiaries — to identify potential links to forced labor cases...
The Human Rights Campaign’s supplied company listing gives Levi Strauss & Co. a 50/50 rating for inclusive benefits and says “No Penalty.” The excerpt provides no scoring date or further details about the assessment.
On March 7, 2022, Levi Strauss & Co. said it was temporarily suspending commercial operations and new investments in Russia amid disruption following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The company and its foundation pledged more than $300,000 to aid groups, offered donation matching for employees, and worked with licensees to provide clothing to refugees.
Levi Strauss & Co. announced today that it is pausing commercial operations in Russia, as well as donating thousands of dollars in humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees. It's one of the many companies, cultural events and athletic competitions distancing themselves from Russia over its aggression in Ukraine.
The Levi Strauss Foundation funds worker-rights and well-being initiatives, reporting $2.32 million in 22 grants in 2025. Separately, a 2022 Harvard Gazette account said the Foundation supported a three-year study of more than 13,000 supply-chain workers; Levi Strauss published a guidebook based partly on that research to help suppliers improve worker well-being.
LSF’s global Worker Rights and Well-being program seeks to strengthen the rights of apparel workers and improve the systems affecting their health and well-being. Funding focuses on fair protections and economic opportunities for workers in key LS&Co. sourcing countries and on industry-level approaches addressing systemic causes of poor worker outcomes.
Iconic global brand Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) has published a “Worker Well-being Guidebook,” which offers new approaches for corporations and factory owners to improve the health and well-being of apparel workers — some of the most vulnerable populations — around the world. The guidebook, which provides insight into strategies for identifying locally relevant ways to improve the well-being of garment factory workers and their families, is based in part on foundational research conducted by the Harvard Chan SHINE team.
Since its inception, the Levi Strauss Foundation’s Worker Rights and Well-Being campaign has generated $25 million in support in 17 countries, reaching 219,000 workers across 113 suppliers to improve protections for workers in the garment industry. The Foundation’s partners for this campaign include Red de Mujeres Sindicalistas, ProDESC, and PCI India, each of which promote left-of-center perspectives on workers’ rights, feminism, and immigration. 6
In a company response concerning the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, Levi Strauss said it had told suppliers worldwide it would not accept materials, including cotton, produced with forced labor or by entities implicated in it. The company pointed to its May 2022 UK Modern Slavery Statement and supplier standards.
...We’ve made it clear to all our suppliers globally that we cannot accept any materials, including cotton, produced using forced labor or managed by entities implicated in forced labor. Attached to this email is LS&Co.’s UK Modern Slavery Statement released in May 2022. In this statement, LS&Co. fully outlines the expectations for its suppliers globally through the Global Sourcing and Operating Guidelines, Terms of Engagement and Code of Conduct to ensure, among other things, that the use of forced labor is prohibited in its supply chain and that suppliers adhere to a single global standard.
Reuters reported on April 25, 2003, that Levi Strauss & Co. opted out of a $20 million settlement approved to compensate garment workers on Saipan. Company spokesman Jeff Beckman said the allegations against Levi Strauss and the company were not true.
Levi Strauss & Co. has opted out of a $20-million settlement approved this week to compensate garment workers on the Pacific island of Saipan..."The allegations against Levi Strauss and company are not true," said company spokesman Jeff Beckman.
The Levi Strauss Foundation supports U.S. immigrant-rights work alongside democracy, reproductive justice and worker rights. Its immigrant-rights priorities include citizenship pathways, fair immigration policies and belonging. In 2025, it awarded $2.66 million through 16 grants in this area; applications are by invitation, not unsolicited.
OVERVIEW: The Levi Strauss Foundation supports democracy, immigrant rights, reproductive justice, and worker rights and well-being. Its democracy and immigrant-rights grantmaking is U.S.-focused, while worker-rights funding targets apparel workers and systems in key Levi Strauss & Co. sourcing countries. Reproductive-justice giving includes U.S. advocacy and direct-service organizations as well as reproductive-health initiatives serving garment workers internationally.
This funder’s Immigrant Rights program, focused entirely on the United States, seeks to “advance immigration reform that creates systems that are equitable, anti-racist and humane, and engage the most marginalized communities of immigrants as active leaders in the movement.”
A table attributed to the Center for Responsive Politics lists Levi Strauss & Co. employee contributions during the 2018–2020 election cycle: $865 to Republicans and $13,150 to Democrats, with $487,171 shown as total employee contributions. The article was published October 6, 2020.
The Human Rights Campaign’s corporate listing gives Levi Strauss & Co. a score of 5 out of 5. The supplied evidence does not specify the rating year or explain the criteria behind the score.
An OpenSecrets organization summary lists $200,000 in lobbying for Levi Strauss & Co. in 2019. The supplied evidence does not identify the issues lobbied on or provide further details about the reported spending.
A California federal jury found for Levi Strauss on May 5, 2025, after a one-week trial, rejecting a former executive’s claims that sex and pregnancy drove her lack of promotion. She alleged she was passed over after disclosing her pregnancy; the company had denied the allegations. Her age-discrimination and equal-pay claims had earlier been dismissed.
Levi Strauss urged the California federal judge overseeing a former marketing director's sex-discrimination suit to exclude the woman's therapist from testifying at trial about the alleged emotional distress she suffered while...
By Bonnie Eslinger ( May 5, 2025, 7:47 PM EDT) -- A California federal jury Monday cleared Levi Strauss of sex-bias claims brought by a former company executive who claims she was skipped over for a senior director's role after announcing her pregnancy, reaching their decision in about 20 minutes after a one-week trial. . . .
In a response to the complaint filed with the court in July 2023, Levi Strauss denied these allegations, along with the others; however, the judge found genuine dispute of material fact warranting a trial.
A 2020 Yahoo Lifestyle article listed Levi Strauss & Co. among apparel companies contributing to lobbying efforts, naming trade, apparel and textiles, and taxes as causes. The supplied excerpt does not show the company’s contribution amount, so it cannot establish how much Levi Strauss gave.
Trinese Raquel Scott Wilson sued Levi Strauss & Co. in Louisiana federal court on August 28, 2026, alleging the company had not provided a way for customers to obtain refunds of costs tied to tariffs later struck down. The available Law360 excerpt gives the case details but not the complaint’s full allegations or any outcome.
Levi Strauss & Co. has yet to provide a way for its customers to get refunds of unlawful tariff-related costs they had to pay for imported goods affected by President Donald...
When Levi Strauss & Co. announced in March 2022 that it was pausing commercial operations in Russia, it pledged to support employees, partners, and their families affected by the decision in the coming months. The report does not specify what form that support would take.
Levi Strauss & Co. has pledged to support its employers, partners and their families affected by the decision in the coming months. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption
OpenSecrets’ archived data reports that Levi Strauss & Co.’s contributions favored Democratic recipients in most listed election cycles. For example, Democrats received 99.57% of the reported $696,801 total in 2020 and 99.12% of $20,843 in 2022. The figures cover reported contributions of $200 or more and are not a complete record of political giving.
An archived OpenSecrets page reports $701,814 in contributions for the 2020 election cycle associated with Levi Strauss & Co. and its affiliates. The figure does not represent company organizational contributions: the page says organizations themselves cannot contribute to candidates and party committees.
An archived OpenSecrets listing reports $701,814 in political contributions for the 2020 cycle, with recipients including Democratic candidates and committees. It attributes 100% of contributions to individuals and none to the organization or PACs; the page notes that its figures include affiliates.
OSHA records a complaint inspection at Levi Strauss & Co.’s Canton, Mississippi site, opened August 8, 2023, and closed December 20. The agency lists four violations, initially two serious and two other, with a $12,052 penalty; all four were classified as other after informal settlement.
A Yahoo Lifestyle article published 6 October 2020 identified Chip Bergh in connection with political contributions by fashion-industry figures. The supplied evidence provides no further details about his contributions or political preferences.
Military.com lists an online Levi’s discount of 10% for active-duty service members, military retirees, and veterans after verification. The site cautions that discounts are provided by third parties, may vary by location, and are not guaranteed to be available.
Levi's offers a 10% military discount online after verification.
A report published October 6, 2020, said Levi Strauss & Co.’s president and CEO donated $5,000 to Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kelly in October 2019.