CEO: Levi Strauss to Partner With Everytown to End Gun Violence

Levi Strauss & Co. CEO Chip Bergh wrote in a Fortune op-ed Tuesday that the company would be taking steps to end gun violence with grants, volunteer time, and partnering with gun advocacy groups. “We simply cannot stand by silently when it comes to the issues that threaten the very fabric of the communities where we live and work,” Bergh wrote. “While taking a stand can be unpopular with some, doing nothing is no longer an option.” He announced the formation of the Safer Tomorrow Fund, which will put more than “$1 million in philanthropic grants” from the company toward “nonprofits and youth activists who are working to end gun violence in America.” Bergh also said he would be working with Everytown for Gun Safety to form the Everytown Business Leaders for Gun Safety coalition and would encourage employees to take a stand on gun violence by encouraging them to donate to the cause and to volunteer their time for political causes. “We can take common-sense, measurable steps—like criminal background checks on all gun sales—that will save lives,” he said. “I’m convinced that while some will disagree with our stand to end gun violence, history will prove this position right too.”