UGG Partners With The Valuable 500

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., May 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California-based global lifestyle brand UGG® (a division of Deckers Brands [NYSE: DECK]) is a democratic brand meant for everyone who wants to look and feel good. As part of an ongoing commitment to extend the feeling of UGG® universally, the brand is joining The Valuable 500—a global movement putting disability inclusion on the business leadership agenda. Striving to foster equity in everything it does, UGG® will support and amplify the voices of people with disabilities from its process to its products.

"We must do our part in ensuring the world is a more inclusive place for those with disabilities," said Andrea O'Donnell, President, UGG® & Koolaburra by UGG® at Deckers Brands. "By partnering with The Valuable 500, we are making a promise and putting disability inclusion as a fundamental focus."

UGG® is now among five hundred influential brands igniting systemic change by unlocking the business, social, and economic value of the 1.3 billion people living with disabilities around the world. The multi-award winning movement is the world's largest community of brands committed to inclusivity. Launched at Davos, Switzerland in 2019, The Valuable 500 seeks to leverage a critical mass of five hundred global organizations to help leaders deliver the business, brand, and social benefits of inclusion. With this in mind, UGG® has committed to six specific focuses around disability inclusivity.

• UGG® UNIVERSAL: Updating timeless silhouettes with specialized modifications for easy entry, the UGG® brand will continue to offer adaptive products through its partnership with online shoe and clothing retailer Zappos.
   
• ENSURING ACCESSIBILITY: UGG® will continue operating an accessible website and social media presence by adding closed captions to videos and alternative text to images.
   
• MINDFUL DESIGN: By the end of 2021, UGG® will host dedicated innovation workshops on inclusion and diversity for its design staff.
   
• INCLUSION FOR ALL: Within its organization, UGG® will work alongside its DECKAbility + Allies employee resource group to support and amplify the voice of employees and their family members with disabilities.
   
• REAL STORIES: To celebrate a diversity of voices, UGG® will continue collaborating with accessibility advocates and influencers to amplify their stories across its brand platforms.
     
• REPRESENTATION MATTERS: UGG® knows the importance of representation and commits that at least 60% of people featured in our marketing materials are diverse in their body types or ability, or are from underrepresented groups including Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and LGBTQ+ communities.

For more information on the UGG® brand's involvement with The Valuable 500, please visit the UGG® blog.

Product photography credit: UGG®

About UGG®
Founded in 1978 by an Australian surfer on the coast of California, UGG® is a global lifestyle brand renowned for its iconic Classic boot. First worn by Hollywood royalty, fashion editors and then the world, UGG® designs and retails footwear, apparel, accessories and homewares with an uncompromising attitude toward quality and craftsmanship. Delivering more than $1 billion in annual sales, UGG® partners with the best retailers globally and owns over 130 concept and outlet stores worldwide in key markets including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Paris, London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing. For more information, please visit www.ugg.com @ugg #FEELUGG

About The Valuable 500
Valuable was launched by social entrepreneur and activist Caroline Casey at One Young World 2017 in Bogota, Colombia and the inception of The Valuable 500 was announced at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in January 2019. Today The Valuable 500 is the largest community of Global CEOs committed to disability inclusion in business.

Since its creation, The Valuable 500 has achieved its initial goal of persuading 500 multinational companies to make a public commitment to disability inclusion in their organisation, igniting a historic global movement for a new age of diversity in business. The Valuable 500 and their global impact partner The Nippon Foundation, will be working closely with the World Economic Forum and International Disability Alliance - bringing together a leading philanthropic organisation with the most prestigious global business network and the voice of the global disability community.

By engaging with the world's most influential business leaders and brands, the network now has a combined revenue of over $8 trillion and employs a staggering 20 million people worldwide. Its members include 13 global CEOs and companies who will be spearheading the programmes and services to be offered under Phase 2 of the campaign, which will be activated through global disability surveys, disability trend reports and an executive disability resource hub.

After reaching this important milestone, the Valuable 500 is determined to create a community that supports and empowers its 500 members to systematically transform their businesses so they include the 1.3 billion people living with disabilities worldwide, thereby unlocking their business, social and economic potential.

We believe that if business takes a lead, society and government will follow, truly inclusive businesses can build truly inclusive societies.

Press Contacts:

UGG®
Matty Magnin
PR Manager
Office: (212) 247-8552 x2772
Mobile: (917) 842-2391
matthew.magnin@deckers.com 
ugg@therightnow.co

The Valuable 500
Richard Poston
Director of Communications
00 44 7715377079
richard.poston@thevaluable500.com 

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SOURCE UGG