PVH announced a new partnership in 2019 with the Howard University School of Business Executive Leadership (SBEL) Honors Program to support our commitment to creating an inclusive work environment where every individual is valued. We believe that providing a welcoming place for people from all backgrounds, cultures, and lifestyles will lead to a diverse workforce.
With insights collected from Building Resources for African American Voices and Empowerment (BRAAVE) Business Resource Group (BRG) and Talent Acquisition Team, PVH is driving the business forward to increase the number of African American interns and full-time associates across the organization to fuel our intern and full-time talent pipeline.
Our overall college recruitment strategy is to partner with colleges and universities with highly ranked fashion and business programs with majors that align with entry-level opportunities available at PVH. Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private historically black university in Washington DC, with degree programs in the areas of fashion design, supply chain management and marketing. PVH is Howard University’s first apparel company partner for the SBEL program, alongside companies such as Goldman Sachs, KPMG, Pfizer, and others.
SBEL shares a similar objective to promote a diverse workplace by increasing the pool of well-trained African American students, both current and alumni. The program consists of 100-130 current students who are eager to learn, committed to service, and are invested in a global experience.
In year one, PVH hosted 100+ SBEL students for a corporate retreat at our New York City headquarters to help them gain exposure to PVH and possible career options. Heading into year two, we had to pivot our plans to create a safe and productive environment for the students virtually. We worked closely with Howard University to build our brand on campus through a number of virtual programming events through the semester.
To kick off, we hosted informational sessions at their virtual career fair to answer questions from students about the culture, hiring practices and the business focus at PVH.
Next, we held two virtual seminars where students had the unique opportunity to hear from and interact with executive leadership at PVH.
Lastly, PVH supported the SBEL Honor Program students with their corporate case study, focused on inclusion and diversity. We were impressed with their work and are in the process of exploring how we can potentially implement these ideas into our future programming.
Although the future is uncertain as we continue to navigate the global pandemic, we continue to explore new ways to increase engagement and opportunities for the SBEL Honors Program students at Howard University.