We know it in our hearts—girls should run the world—but when it comes to women’s empowerment and equality, the world we live in today has a long way to go. According to the National Partnership for Women and Families, women in the workforce earn just 79 percent of their male counterparts’ salary—and for Women of Color this disparity is significantly worse. Despite being 51 percent of the population, women make up just 27 percent of Congress. If you look at Fortune 500 companies, a tiny sliver (7.4 percent) of them are women-led. Turn on ESPN on any given Sunday and you’ll see how much coverage women’s sports get.
It’s absolutely critical that as a brand for and by women, BRANWYN pays it forward. From day one, we’ve been committed to working with organizations that are helping to shape a better world for the women of today and the girls of tomorrow. A big part of that is making sure all ages have access to fitness, sports, and the outdoors—tools that we know help build confidence to crush goals and become powerful leaders.
That’s why 1.5 percent of every single dollar you spend with BRANWYN goes straight to one of four different 501(c)(3) nonprofits—Black Women in Sport Foundation, Play Like a G!rl, and SheJumps—plus returns are donated to another game-changing organization called Rose Haven.
At the end of each business day, money from that day’s sales is deposited into the bank accounts of our partners to help them do their amazing work. We also work with a number of organizations to gift gear to women who could use it most—after all, everyone deserves to experience the comfort of Merino Performance Innerwear.
The Climate Change Connection
Equality for all women is central to everything we do—that’s why every piece of BRANWYN Performance Innerwear comes stitched with the symbol “=”. Gender equality isn’t just morally right, it’s critical to helping us build a better future.
In fact, the United Nations cited gender equality as one of the top goals in the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda to fight the climate crisis. The issues of sustainability and gender equality might seem unrelated, but studies show they are deeply intertwined—we can’t have a greener planet without building a more equitable world.
Celebrating Women’s Equality Day Everyday
In honor of Women’s Equality Day, we’re shining a spotlight on our amazing nonprofit Empowerment Partners. Learn more about these incredible organizations below. If you want to consider giving directly, that’s great, and remember every time you wear BRANWYN, you are supporting their missions.
BLACK WOMEN IN SPORT FOUNDATION
Black women remain underrepresented in sports—and Black Women in Sport Foundation (BWSF) is on a mission to change that. Based in the Philadelphia area, BWSF offers educational and athletic instruction (plus the necessary equipment) in sports like fencing, tennis, soccer, and field hockey. Their after-school programs focus on skills like goal-setting, problem-solving, positive decision making, and the science of sport. To ensure representation at all levels, BWSF also offers college scholarships and professional development for coaching and administration.
This nationwide organization focuses on the skills we build through sports as a way to jumpstart a career in science, technology, engineering, and math (aka STEM). Today, women make up less than a third of the STEM workforce. This is a serious problem as STEM is one of the best paying and fastest growing business sectors—a trend that’s only expected to continue in the next few decades. Play Like a G!rl mentors middle-school-age girls through summer camps and weekly programs to help them get involved in sports at school and learn from inspiring women-in-STEM role models.
SHEJUMPS This national nonprofit is making sure that all women and girls know that they belong in nature. As one volunteer puts it, “SheJumps believes that the key to growth is through deepening connection—to our environment, to ourselves, and to each other.” The organization regularly hosts events and clinics for girls and women of all ages. Junior Wildland Firefighting teaches girls fire safety and outdoor skills from women in the firefighting community, while Junior Ski Patrol lets girls learn about avalanche rescue techniques and snow science. Adults can join in the fun too with programs to learn how to fly fish, the basics of splitboard mountaineering, and more.
Based in Portland, OR, (where BRANWYN was founded), Rose Haven provides shelter, resources, and emotional support to women, children, and marginalized genders experiencing homelessness. The day shelter and community center helps to break the cycle of homelessness by providing meals, clothes, mailing addresses, showers, first aid, educational programs, and more. While people often think of donating coats and shoes, bras and underwear are one of the top needs for women without houses. That’s why BRANWYN donates all gently used returns—after they are properly cleaned and sanitized—to Rose Haven.
You can join us in the fight for a brighter future for women and girls—and celebrate Women’s Equality Day every day—by donating to these organizations, spending time volunteering, or simply shopping our Performance Innerwear!
