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press releases
Liz Claiborne, Inc. Unveils New Commemorative Items
Profits from Employee-Designed Products and Charity Shopping Events
NEW YORK, NY - (July 5, 1995) - In the fifth year of its ongoing family violence public service campaign called WOMEN'S WORK, Liz Claiborne, Inc. has premiered new commemorative items to be sold via a toll-free number and in all Liz Claiborne and Elisabeth stores nationwide beginning in October, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Sales will benefit the company's national and local domestic violence agency partners. On Thursday, October 19, charity shopping events will be hosted in all stores to benefit the same local organizations.
The WOMEN'S WORK program continues to evolve in response to changes in society's perceptions of family violence. Each year the campaign incorporates new initiatives that reach different constituencies, as well as, maintains efforts that have proven to be successful.
As a reflection of its employees' desire to participate in the WOMEN'S WORK program, the company held an in-house art contest to develop an image for display on this year's commemorative items. The message will encourage participation in ending family violence and is an extension of the company's new effort to focus not only on awareness, but education and intervention.
In addition, this year the program will include an effort targeted to college students through educational seminars the company will host on campus. Liz Claiborne, Inc. will also expand its internal employee assistance program.
"In a time when awareness of family violence is at an all-time high, we want to communicate the idea that everyone can create positive social change on this issue," says Jerome A. Chazen, chairman, Liz Claiborne, Inc. "People can get involved on their own level, whether that means writing a letter to a legislator or volunteering at a shelter. Each individual can make a difference."
Employee-Designed Art Featured on New Commemorative Items
For the first time in the program's history, Liz Claiborne, Inc. looked within the company for inspiration in the design of the 1995 WOMEN'S WORK commemorative items. As an outgrowth of the company's educational employee seminars on the issue, as well as the staff's desire to get involved in the campaign, a contest was held for employees to create the 1995 image.
The winning artwork features a black and red hand-drawn heart surrounded by the message, "Get the Facts, Get Involved, End Family Violence." Four "action steps" that suggest ways to help end abuse are listed on the back of the commemorative items.
The artwork will be displayed on T-shirts ($16) and mugs ($7), and will be available beginning in October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, in all Liz Claiborne and Elisabeth Stores across the country and through a toll-free hotline, 1-800-449-STOP (7867). Profits from local store sales will be donated to partner agencies in each market. The Family Violence Prevention Fund, a national, non-profit organization devoted to public policy, education and advocacy, will benefit from 800# sales.
Year Two of Successful Charity Shopping Day
All Liz Claiborne and Elisabeth Stores will participate in the second annual Charity Shopping Day, on Thursday, October 19th. Each store will donate 10 percent of the day's sales to its local domestic violence agency partner. This year, the number of stores participating in this effort will double.
College Campus Outreach
In conjunction with its local domestic violence agency partners, Liz Claiborne, Inc. will visit college campuses this fall to host a pilot series of educational seminars that will address the issue of family violence through a discussion of relationship dynamics. The company feels that it is important to reach this group at an age when critical decisions are being made about relationships, and hopes to provide valuable information that will be useful to students in the long-term. Three campuses have been selected to participate in this element of the program: the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Employee Assistance Program
Liz Claiborne, Inc. has a strong Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that is available nationwide to all employees, their spouses and anyone with whom they share a household. To receive assistance, employees can either walk into Health Services or, for confidentiality, call a toll-free hotline and receive counseling and referrals.
As a result of the Liz Claiborne WOMEN'S WORK program, the company has also instituted "Family Stress" seminars that are open to all employees and are held during business hours. The seminars address the issue of family abuse from an educational and practical stand point.
Key "Influentials"
For the fourth year, Liz Claiborne, Inc. will reach out to nearly 1,500 "influentials," including elected officials and other government leaders; celebrities; leaders of women's, social service and community organizations; and corporate executives with information on the issue of family violence and urge them to create an environment intolerant of abusive behavior towards women.
Social Service Network
An important part of the WOMEN'S WORK program that has proven to be effective on a grass-roots level is an ongoing outreach to thousands of social service organizations and community groups working on the front lines of domestic violence. To date, more than 10,000 posters and 200,000 brochures have been donated nationwide. For 1995, the employee-designed artwork will be featured on new posters which will be distributed with brochures, at no charge, to organizations in need of collateral materials.
The WOMEN'S WORK Program
In 1991, Liz Claiborne, Inc. through its WOMEN'S WORK campaign became the first major corporation to take on family violence, recognizing it as a crisis that affects every level of society. It is estimated that a woman is beaten every 12 seconds in America. Family violence is the leading cause of death and injury to women, doing more harm than car accidents, muggings and rapes, combined.
On a national level, the campaign has sought to raise awareness of family violence among the general public, as well as, the legal and medical establishments, key "influentials," and the corporate sector through programs designed to encourage awareness and intervention. Last year, the company commissioned a survey of Fortune 1000 CEOs to determine their understanding of the impact of family violence on corporate America.
To date, San Francisco, Boston and Miami have been sites of intensive local efforts where local communities have been mobilized around the issue.
Liz Claiborne, Inc. believes its responsibility to its customers goes beyond the traditional role of a marketer and, through WOMEN'S WORK, seeks to give something of value back to the people who have contributed to its success -- women and their families.
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