Goals and progress
Community investment | Overview
Applying business innovation to social challenges
Businesses use innovation every day to solve problems and create opportunities. At Gap Inc. we apply this thinking to community investment, using innovation to solve social problems and create new possibilities. And we’re beginning to see the results of our employee engagement, signature programs and community partnerships.
Our strategy is built on two ideas: leveraging company assets and the “virtuous cycle.”
Like most businesses, Gap Inc. has many assets beyond cash that can have a positive impact on the community. When we think about community investment, we consider our stores, marketing expertise, globally recognized brands, vendor relationships and, most importantly, our talented employees. Leveraging these corporate assets enables us to have a deeper impact than we could if we focused solely on writing a check.
In addition to leveraging our assets, we aim to create a "virtuous cycle" in everything we do. When we invest in community, we want to benefit all the stakeholders involved — our employees, customers, shareholders, vendors and communities. By designing programs that benefit all, we have shifted our model from one based on charity to one focused on sustainable investment.
We have been practicing this new way of investing in our communities for three years, and we’re learning as we go. Like all innovation, this work requires thoughtful risk-tasking, an appetite for learning from our mistakes and a host of supportive partners to make it happen. As we begin to see positive results from our shift in strategy, we’re encouraged to continue along this path.
