LS&Co. Collaboratory: The Power of the Collective Might


Levi Strauss & Co.
January 6, 2017

This past October, 10 entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs in the apparel industry came together for three days to learn from and collaborate with Levi Strauss & Co. leaders, outside experts and employee mentors on solutions for reducing their organization’s water impact.

The workshop was a convening of the inaugural class of the LS&Co. Collaboratory, our effort to share LS&Co.’s sustainability learnings with the next generation of apparel leaders. This annual fellowship program is aimed at creating a more socially and environmentally responsible apparel industry.

“The collective might of smaller organizations combined with the power of a big company like Levi Strauss & Co. – it takes both to create systems change,” said Rebecca van Bergen, Executive Director of Nest and LS&Co. Collaboratory fellow.

As part of the Collaboratory curriculum, designed in partnership with the Aspen Institute, fellows were asked to develop their own water solution for their respective businesses/organizations. Each fellow’s water solution may receive up to $50,000 in funding, which will be announced later this year.

Meet the first class of Collaboratory Fellows here.