Levi Strauss & Co. has a long history of sharing resources with our peers, open sourcing work that we believe can benefit others, such as our Water<Less® and worker well-being programs. At the same time, the strength and legacy of our brand allows us to drive meaningful change across the industry, leading by example and leveraging our influence to encourage even larger companies to create positive change.
When the Red Tab Foundation (RTF), our employee nonprofit, publicly published our Hardship Fund Playbook in 2020, it was an extension of this ethos — an effort to share what we’d learned across 40 years of supporting employees and retirees in times of hardship. It was also a bold invitation to others: take what we’ve learned and make it your own to support your people. RTF’s focus on advancing the industry has helped reshape how companies support their employees and communities through life’s toughest moments, reaching well over 3 million employees worldwide.
This fall, RTF teamed up with the Epic Promise Fund at Vail Resorts to host the 2025 Employee Assistance Fund (EAF) Summit, continuing our commitment to share knowledge and strengthen support for employees everywhere. Bringing together 61 leaders from 41 companies and partnering with the likes of Home Depot, HCA Healthcare, Chick-fil-a, Giving Kitchen and Walmart, the summit united teams around one common cause: building a network dedicated to supporting employees through hardship.
“Beyond the incredible connections and valuable insights shared, the collective energy created a powerful ripple effect, driving real progress across our industry,” shared Jon Garrou, Executive Director of the EpicPromise Foundation at Vail Resorts. “RTF continues to lead the way in building innovative programs and fostering collaboration that keeps us all moving forward. Thanks to these efforts, millions of workers around the world are gaining a stronger path toward lasting financial health.”
Since its inception, RTF has transformed lives, providing over $37 million in support to employees and retirees around the globe. At the heart of RTF’s work is a belief that hardship funds are more than financial safety nets; they’re engines for dignity, resilience and community. That belief was echoed throughout the summit, where attendees explored how to build funds that reflect their unique company cultures, respond to disasters with speed and empathy, and evolve with the times — from AI-powered grant processing to proactive financial wellness programs.
The summit also sparked momentum toward formalizing the field itself. Conversations around creating an industry association demonstrated that not only is this work growing, it’s maturing.
Today, RTF continues to lead by example, not just by supporting LS&Co. employees and retirees, but by helping other companies do the same for their people. Through open-source resources, peer learning and convenings like the EAF Summit, RTF is helping to build a future where every worker has a safety net and a springboard for the future.
To see how this work is making a difference, both inside and far beyond LS&Co., check out RTF’s 2025 Impact Report.
