Gap Inc. Corporation Philanthropy and the Gap Inc. P.A.C.E. Program
On joining the Gap Foundation, Bobbi Silten saw an opportunity to tie Gap Inc.’s philanthropic strategy more closely to its business interests, expertise, people, and assets. When looking at the communities from which it sourced its products, Gap Inc. saw strong evidence that the biggest impact came from increasing women’s access to education and improving their career prospects. In investing in female workers’ welfare, Gap Inc. realized it could use its experience in managing global supply chains and its partnerships with vendors to maximize the impact of its social programs. Thus, the company launched the P.A.C.E. (Personal Advancement & Career Enhancement), program in India in 2007 with a goal to improve the lives of female garment workers and their families. In addition to achieving this goal, P.A.C.E. also reduced turnover and absenteeism, improved managerial skills, and led to closer relationships with suppliers. In taking a strategic approach to its community grantmaking, Gap Inc. was able to make its
Learning Objective
-Have students rethink the traditional model of corporate philanthropy by introducing them to an approach that aligns corporate interests and strengths with community needs. -Illustrate the importance of effectively partnering between sectors, organizations and teams to create successful programs. -Demonstrate the critical nature of ongoing learning and evaluation in order to scale and sustain initiatives.