Dive Brief:
- Neiman Marcus Group said Wednesday it had increased racial and ethnic diversity in leadership roles, at the vice president level and up, to over 21% — exceeding the company’s original target for 2025. Currently, women comprise the majority of the workforce and senior roles across the company.
- The company said it has implemented “evidence-based practices” to eliminate bias across its hiring, development and retention processes. Neiman Marcus also made efforts to advance workplace equity in line with standards from the Human Rights Campaign, Bloomberg and nonprofit Disability:IN, including practices like flexible remote work policies, comprehensive health benefits and increased supplier diversity.
- The luxury retailer — which also owns Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus’ Last Call and Horchow — said it had reduced its scope 1 and scope 2 emissions by 42% compared to a 2019 baseline, and increased renewable electricity usage from 19.9% to 57% over the course of the fiscal year 2023.
Dive Insight:
The group’s global workforce is comprised of 61.2% and 55.2% of women at the leadership and officer level, respectively. Overall, women make up 67.2% of the company’s workforce, according to Neiman Marcus’ ESG report.
The company also said it had successfully adopted “more equitable paths to promotion,” to ensure promotion rates for women and people of color within its workforce remained consistent year-over-year at 69% and 39%, respectively.
As part of its expanded diversity, equity and inclusion policies, the Dallas, Texas-based company said it also provides access to a centralized accommodations fund for managers of employees with disabilities, alongside a benefits package that includes coverage for hearing aids, vision support and mental health.
Further, the company launched a supplier diversity program that recognizes certified disability-owned businesses — an initiative the company took so “customers feel welcome … and can see themselves reflected in the brands and products [Neiman Marcus Group] sell[s].”
The ESG report followed a year of layoffs initiated by Neiman Marcus Group. The company eliminated an unspecified number of corporate roles in August as part of a strategic realignment it announced earlier in February. At the time of the announcement, about 500 employees, or 5% of the workforce, lost their jobs.
On the environmental front, Neiman Marcus said it had screened its scope 3 emissions and found its purchased goods and services and downstream transportation logistics represented 92% of its scope 3 emissions. The company said it aims to reduce this figure through initiatives such as enrolling 99% of its domestic transportation and vendors in the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay program, which would allow the company to monitor vendors’ emissions and benchmark their sustainability performance more accurately over time.
The company aims to reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2025 and procure 100% renewable electricity in its operations by 2030, compared to 2019 baselines.
