AEO Celebrates Our Veterans: Robin, U.S. Navy

At the very heart of AEO is our PEOPLE. Our associates are REAL. They’re authentic, resilient, and optimistic – each with their own story. In honor of Veterans Day, we’re proud to spotlight our associates who served in the armed forces. We’re thankful for their service! 

Meet Robin, U.S. Navy!

Tell us about your role at AEO.

I started my career at AEO in 2016 and work in the photo studio with the retouching team. It’s an incredibly talented group of people that I’m proud to work with!  

What made you want to join the military? 

I was raised in Butler, PA and graduated in the mid 80s when jobs were relatively scarce. An economic downturn caused many people to look elsewhere for careers. The military was an option for me.

What’s your proudest moment serving in the military? 

I honestly can’t point to one specific moment, but I am incredibly proud of my service. I’m grateful for the opportunity to help pave the way for women to continue to climb through the ranks. Women in service have had to work incredibly hard to simply be considered equal, and I’m proud to have been a part of that.  

What does being a Veteran mean to you? 

I belong to a sisterhood/brotherhood that is like no other. There will always be an innate sense of duty to this country.  

How do you get to use your military experience as an associate at AEO?  

Having a solid work ethic, taking responsibility, and consistently working toward solutions. These are values that I learned throughout my military career that I believe translate fully into the corporate world at AEO.

AEO Celebrates Our Veterans: Todd, U.S. Marine Corps

At the very heart of AEO is our PEOPLE. Our associates are REAL. They’re authentic, resilient, and optimistic – each with their own story. In honor of Veterans Day, we’re proud to spotlight our associates who served in the armed forces. We’re thankful for their service! 

Meet Todd, U.S. Marine Corps!

Tell us about your role at AEO.

This past summer I celebrated my 15 year anniversary at AEO. I am currently the Retail Docks Supervisor in Ottawa on the evening shift.

What made you want to join the military?

I was looking for adventure, and I wanted to take advantage of the educational benefits that the military provided.

What’s your proudest moment serving in the military? 

I served four years of active duty in the Marine Corps. I was an armor crewman on an M60 Main Battle Tank and was voted 1987 Marine Corps Tanker of the Year by the USMC Tankers Association. I was also on two “Hot Shot” crews. The “Hot Shot” competition was a gunnery exercise where your tank crew competed against all of the other tank crews in the Battalion. I was a member of two different crews that won the competition twice! 

What does being a Veteran mean to you? 

I am proud that I served in the Marine Corps and that I served my country. Being a Marine was very rewarding and it was a very special time in my life. 

Todd and his wife, Leeann, with friends. Leeann recently retired from AEO!
Todd with two Marines he served with.

How do you get to use your military experience as an associate at AEO?

You had to work as a team to accomplish the “mission” in the Marine Corps. Whatever task you were assigned, you were expected to give it your best effort and see it to its successful completion. You can accomplish anything you set your mind to as long as you look out for each other and work as a team – it’s the same at AEO.

AEO Celebrates Our Veterans: Fernando, U.S. Army

At the very heart of AEO is our PEOPLE. Our associates are REAL. They’re authentic, resilient, and optimistic – each with their own story. In honor of Veterans Day, we’re proud to spotlight our associates who served in the armed forces. We’re thankful for their service! 

Meet Fernando, U.S. Army!

I’ve worked at American Eagle (AE) for the past nine years. I’m currently the Store Team Leader at Miromar Outlets, and I’m an Army Automated Logistical Specialist.

Throughout my adolescent years, I was part of the Civil Air Patrol, an organization committed to develop youth into responsible citizens. Joining the Army wasn’t a surprise for me, it was about time. Being a part of something bigger and feeling like I’m contributing to something great, an opportunity to improve myself and push past my limits.

Without a doubt, my proudest moment in the military will always be boot camp graduation day. 12 weeks of intense training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. The next day I went from being a recruit to a United States Army soldier.

My experience in the military reinforced my skills to lead by example, as well as with direction, delegation, motivation and inspiration. Every day I correlate the stockroom operations and procedures at AE with my experience working the warehouse operations in the Army.

I’m thankful to AEO – a company that cares about their people and communities – for giving me the opportunity to inspire others and pursue my dreams. I’m part of something real!

I’d like to share a quote that I will always remember from my boot camp Drill Sergeant:

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams

AEO Celebrates Our Veterans: James, U.S. Air Force

At the very heart of AEO is our PEOPLE. Our associates are REAL. They’re authentic, resilient, and optimistic – each with their own story. In honor of Veterans Day, we’re proud to spotlight our associates who served in the armed forces. We’re thankful for their service! 

Meet James, U.S. Air Force!

Tell us about your role at AEO.

I joined AEO in 2012 after 21 years of service in the Air Force. I’m currently the Maintenance and Facilities Manager at our Hazleton Distribution Center in Pennsylvania.       

What made you want to join the military?

I joined the Air Force because of the patriotic values instilled in me through my parents. I felt drawn to serve my country and be part of something bigger than myself.  With my Air Force career in the rear view mirror, I have no regrets and would definitely serve again!    

What’s your proudest moment serving in the military? 

Besides the honor and privilege to serve my country, I completed the difficult mission of escorting a young Airman to his parents. My Unit Commander presented a letter from the parents expressing their gratitude for making this difficult time easier to accept. This mission enabled me to reflect on a tenet most will never understand: “service before self” – the willingness to sacrifice one’s life for a greater purpose, their country and fellow citizens.  

What does being a Veteran mean to you? 

There are so many blessings one can acquire from serving in the armed forces, but the lasting “brotherhood” speaks the loudest.  We, as Veterans, have been challenged and were sometimes put in situations where the camaraderie built itself.  The uniform is the foundation of what starts the bond of exceptional men and women together; a call to duty, the ideals, and sharing a title of being an American and believing in what it stands for, that is what truly binds the service men and women together.     

How do you get to use your military experience as an associate at AEO?

The discipline and structure I received during my service, coupled with the experiences, gives me the ability to remain positive through adversity, adapt to situations, and accept everyone for who they are and what they bring to the mission.  

WWD: Jennifer Foyle on Creating, Redefining Aerie and American Eagle

By: Jean E. Palmieri | Link to article

The executive has grown Aerie into a $1.4 billion brand and launched several offshoot concepts, including Offline and Unsubscribed.

Jennifer Foyle joined American Eagle Outfitters in 2010 and has been the catalyst behind the growth of the company’s Aerie brand, growing sales from $224 million in 2014 to $1.4 billion today. Now president and executive creative director of both Aerie and American Eagle, Foyle has also created two new concepts for the company: Offline by Aerie, a business centered around leggings, and Unsubscribed, a higher-end, socially conscious store. Here, Foyle offers insight on her management style and the road to success.

WWD: In 2014, you launched Aerie Real, a campaign where you didn’t airbrush the models. Why did you decide to do that before it became commonplace?

Jennifer Foyle: Aerie is a subbrand of American Eagle Outfitters, which has millions of customers and an incredible brand platform, and we [were] just trying to break in. We knew this intimate apparel sector was dominated by a few leaders, so we had to do something different. We had a simulated store set and my creative director said none of the pictures were airbrushed. And I said, “Why would you airbrush a model?” And that was the impetus for Aerie Real. It was that small, but it turned into something so much bigger. And if you think about where we are today, we were at the forefront of body positivity in a super sexed, supermodel environment. We just knew that this would be a winning solution to welcome women into our brand of all shapes, sizes and diversity and now we have this incredible platform. It takes a village and some time but we’re now a $1.4 billion brand and I’m really proud of what the team is doing.

WWD: That started a cultural movement, but you’ve also had a lot of financial success. Do you have a time frame in mind for when you’ll hit $2 billion?

J.F.: Yes, 2025, but these times are unprecedented. So we’re just going to keep forging ahead. We have lots of great ideas. This is a company where we listen to the smallest voice and act on it. And we do make a lot of mistakes. But when I think about the future, we have Aerie, we have Offline that we just launched — the leggings are a viral success — and Aerie is simply underpenetrated and so is Offline. We’re opening Offline stores as we speak so plenty of room for growth there. If you look at North America, we’re not even in Canada yet, so there’s international expansion in the near term, and then long term, our biggest challenge is penetrating new markets and how we get this passion that we have from the inside to permeate those walls and touch new markets. That takes a lot of work and a lot of love and a lot of realness and a lot of authenticity.

WWD: When we think about American Eagle, you always seem to be ahead of the curve. How do stay on top of rapidly shifting consumer preferences?

J.F.: These times are really challenging, but we have a leader, Jay Schottenstein, who owns many companies — he’s a complete entrepreneur and we have a lot of freedom to try new things. If it wasn’t for Jay, I don’t think Aerie would be where it is today. We had a lot of tests and failures and he allowed for that, and he knew that there was something there, particularly when we hit on Aerie Real. But we have to stay ahead and we have to think differently. I’m in the office every day and I think that’s what’s going to keep us moving along. I’m seeing ideas and walking the halls, and I think that that’s how we’re going to keep in the forefront — being face to face. It’s as simple as that.

WWD: You’re one of the few female leaders in retail. Do you feel like you’re breaking a glass ceiling or paving a way from future female leaders?

J.F.: I actually think Aerie has broken glass ceilings. It was so special what we did back in 2014. We were trailblazers and did something very different. In the past 30 years, I was at the department store with Marvin Traub, I worked for Mickey Drexler for 10 years at the Gap and then J. Crew when we went public, and then, here comes this Aerie opportunity and I just realized that nobody was doing intimates in a new and modern way. But it’s mostly just about the brand and the team. And I roll up my sleeves, and I get in there. Maybe that’s what I leave behind but it’s not about me, it’s really just about this incredible team.

WWD: How do you manage so many different brands, especially during a pandemic when we’re not in the office?

J.F.: We launched two brands during the pandemic. I woke up one morning and I had this idea of Unsubscribed — how do you unsubscribe from life? How do you check out once in a while? And I really believe that with all this fast-fashion and all this competition, we birthed the concept of Unsubscribed. It’s all about slow retail, conscious retail, and there’s one boutique on Madison Avenue. But Offline is the biggie. We had a leggings business that was off the charts in Aerie, so I said let’s create a brand. And I came up with the name Offline and I trademarked it. My legal team thinks I’m crazy, but the minute you trademark something, you own it. And AE, I took over during the pandemic and I saw there were some simple, low-hanging fruit that we could grab. We dominate in denim but we walked away from other businesses, so lots of opportunity there. And I have a new idea that we’re going to launch in the spring, another new subbrand for American Eagle, because I think it just says life — it gives you something to talk about.

WWD: The American Eagle brand is the namesake, so what’s next for that?

J.F.: We talk a lot about rationalizing the fleet, but really just rationalizing the brand, there was a lot of noise. I always think simplifying, taking all the noise out and stripping down to your core is the best you can do when you’re trying to rebirth a brand. We have a new head of marketing, a new head of merchandising, a new head of design.

And that takes time to get that right. Over the past two years, we got rid of 45,000 wasted skus that did sub-$10 million. That’s a lot of work for not a lot of return when [you] think about a [more than] $3 billion brand. So how do we move ahead? We’ve got the heritage, we’ve got a new store design that we’re about to launch next year. And innovation. Jeans are the forefront of everything we do. We just launched a stretch jean [that] looks authentic on the front end but the back panel is stretch. So you get the look of your favorite jean in your closet but the back panel is comfy and stretchy. We’re never going to walk away from our jean and innovation because that’s at the core of everything we do.

WWD: You have the AE77 brand too, what’s that?

J.F.: That’s a small incubation lab. It was concepted before I arrived. We’ve been rationalizing and making sure we’re focused on the big wins, but I love this little brand. It was a SoHo pop-up, it’s higher-end, it works great internationally — we just opened up a couple of stores in Japan. We’re rebirthing it at the moment and I look forward to relaunching that in a smaller way. It’s definitely something that we’re learning from. I hope that we can break into a little bit of an older market so our teen customer can stay with us because they belong in our denim until they’re 60.

WWD: Where do you see the company going internationally in the future?

J.F.: We just reorganized the international team to simplify it. It was a little bit scattered. We have lots of opportunity in North America — Canada alone is way underpenetrated. We’re doing great in Mexico, but we still have a lot of opportunity there. So we’re going to concentrate on North America. But certainly we see expansion across all countries. We have a solely owned business we just opened in Japan [and] we’re opening up in Amsterdam with great franchise partners. So lots of opportunity there for American Eagle, Aerie and Offline. Aerie is barely scratching the surface internationally. So we’ll get at that once we get the domestic market sorted out.

WWD: Going forward, where do you see the retail world going?

J.F.: I’m a big fan of the dichotomy of digital and real-time customer experiences. All of our brands are fit-intensive — denim, bras, leggings — people want to understand what they feel like on their bodies and you can get that in a store. I love a billboard as much as I love a digital ad. I think it’s important to not just be focused on digital. I’m in apparel and this is about customers trying your clothes and loving them. It’s about the experience, it’s about the customer and the product and if you think about that and how you can entertain customers in new ways, you can win out there, and that’s what we’re hoping to do.

WWD: What’s your outlook for holiday?

J.F.: I’m glass half full. I’m a merchant, so it’s my job to be. We have to be prudent. The whole retail sector had inventory issues back in [the first and second quarters] and I think our team did a nice job of cleaning up, getting ready for the holiday with the focus on the best of the best items. These are hard times and our competition is so promotional so how do you win? It all goes back to being creative and showing up differently. With Aerie, I hated those red clearance signs so I had them do a white-out sale and spray paint the windows white. That brings customers in. So we have conservative plans that we can beat.

Photo: BriAnne Wills/Fashionista

WWD: Todd Snyder to Open Three Stores This Month, Expand to West Coast

By: Jean E. Palmieri | Link to article

The menswear brand is adding units in San Francisco and Los Angeles as well as Boston.

Todd Snyder is going national.

During a walk-through of his spring men’s collection, the designer revealed he is planning to open three stores this month — including his first outside of the New York City area — followed by another handful next spring.

Snyder operates six units: the original in Madison Park, as well as Rockefeller Center and TriBeCa (the Liquor Store) in Manhattan; Williamsburg in Brooklyn and East Hampton, New York, and Greenwich, Connecticut.

On Friday, he will open his first West Coast store in San Francisco, a 2,300-square-foot shop in the city’s Hayes Valley neighborhood. That will be followed next week by a 2,800-square-foot store at the Superette at Boston Seaport. On Nov. 18, the designer will open a permanent store in Los Angeles, a 3,300-square-foot flagship that will be located at The Grove.

Snyder said New York represents 40 percent of the brand’s business but Los Angeles is the company’s second-largest market, accounting for 20 percent of overall sales. He opened a pop-up in L.A. about a month ago, and “the customer welcomed us. It was a real eye-opener and it showed us what we needed to do.”

All of the new units will offer the breadth of the Todd Snyder men’s collection as well as an assortment of third-party brands and exclusive collaborations such as those with Champion and D.S. & Durga along with Assouline books, mules and bags by King Kennedy Rugs and a shoe shop with brands including New Balance, Converse and Alden. Snyder will also use the stores to highlight his long-standing partnership with New York eyewear brand Moscot.

Todd Snyder

The L.A. and San Francisco stores will offer vintage watches and jewelry from Foundwell and the L.A. store will include an Aesop in-store shop featuring the company’s grooming and fragrance products as well as an installation from Mr. Goodboy Records of an in-store vinyl record bar where customers can buy new and vintage records.  

“We’ve taken our time with expanding outside the New York metro market and have been very strategic when choosing new locations by carefully assessing each city and where our key demographic is more apt to shop,” Snyder said. “We’ve spent a lot of time growing Los Angeles metro to be our second largest e-commerce market, so when it was time to map out our expansion, this was the most important market to begin planting physical roots for our customer.”

Beyond that, Snyder revealed that in the spring he will open stores in Dallas, Bal Harbor, Florida, and Chicago.

Overall, he envisions the brand having 10 to 15 total stores in major markets across the U.S.

He said the existing stores are performing quite well and the oldest units — Madison Park and the Liquor Store, which were the only ones that were in operation before the pandemic — are showing 30 percent sales increases over 2019.

But that’s part and parcel of the strength the brand has been experiencing overall, he said.

“We’ve seen an amazing growth spurt with sales up 60 percent year-over-year since 2011 when we launched. The pandemic actually helped us because it helped differentiate us from the masses and we’ve been able to capture a lot of customers. Not to sound boastful, but a lot of guys are coming to us because there’s nowhere else to go that offers the same assortment of tailored to sportswear to collaborations with Champion and others at both high and low prices.”

Snyder hopes to continue to capitalize on this success with his retail rollout.

“As we expand into key growth markets like Los Angeles, the design of our stores and how they support our sales goals are extremely important,” he said. “A Todd Snyder store will bring consumers into the world of Todd Snyder, showcasing our product but also in-house tailors or made-to-measure services, adding in hospitality aspects or partnering with brands like Moscot to open shops-in-shop within our stores. We are strategic about using our shops as a hub for services that will naturally bring people through the door and then convert them into a Todd Snyder customer.”

Despite the focus on retail, Snyder said 90 percent of the company’s sales continue to come from online, a figure he hopes will drop to 80 percent once the stores in major markets open this year and next. “That’s my goal,” he said, “to have retail represent 20 percent of our sales.”

When Snyder launched his brand 11 years ago, he followed a more traditional path of selling through wholesale channels. But that has changed and he no longer sells outside his own stores and e-commerce site.

It doesn’t hurt that his brand is owned by a major U.S. retailer, American Eagle Outfitters, which purchased Todd Snyder for $11 million in 2015. The first store opened in Madison Park the next year.

AEO Renews Support of ADL’s ‘No Place for Hate’ School-Based Program with $100k Donation

October 27, 2022 marks the fourth anniversary of the tragic shooting at the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh. Sadly, antisemitism continues to be expressed more publicly and more frequently. We believe in doing our part to create positive change to help build a better world for our associates and our communities.

As we reflect on the devastating impact of all forms of hatred, bigotry, and antisemitism, AEO is proud to share that we have once again renewed our support of the Anti-Defamation League’s No Place for Hate program. This is the fourth donation we have made to help fund anti-bias education in 24 Pittsburgh-area schools, reaching nearly 17,000 students and 1,200 educators. 

We are an inclusive company that celebrates individuality, belonging and diversity. Our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Alliance created a foundation for the guiding principles we live and work by today and serves as the backbone of our vibrant community. We will continue to embed IDEA in the everyday actions of our business and the experiences of our associates while fostering a workplace culture where everyone feels respected and included. 

Together, we can move forward with determination and a commitment to ensure that justice, acceptance and kindness will always prevail.

To learn more about the ADL’s No Place for Hate program, click here. 

Photo Credit: noplaceforhate.org 

Meet an AEO Legend: Rose, SR Coordinator – IT Purchasing

Through her 45 years of service, Rose has been with AEO since the beginning!

This months marks the 45th anniversary of AEO, and Rose, SR Coordinator – IT Purchasing has been with the company through it all. We sat down with Rose to chat about her time at AEO.

Tell us about your favorite memory working at AEO. 

I really enjoyed all of the volunteer events I’ve participated in at AEO, especially Community Day! I’ve done so many, but way back when, we were able to bring our family with us to volunteer, so my daughter would join me and we had the best time. Unfortunately because of back surgery, I wasn’t able to participate in Community Day for the past two years, but I’m excited to get back out there. I also really enjoyed the yearly Diwali event, and am happy it’s coming back this year!

What’s your favorite project you’ve ever worked on?

A main part of my job is helping IT people purchase and pay invoices and guide them on how to navigate our platforms. I love working together with teams to help train them on our programs, especially since they are used by many associates.

Rose (pictured second on the left) and AEO coworkers at a meal with Santa!
Rose (pictured holding the ‘ALT’ button) with AEO coworkers

What do you love from our brands?

I wear AE stuff daily – my daughter and I really love our products! It’s great because we can always find stuff we want. We both love Aerie leggings and sweatshirts – especially in the winter. I actually just bought Crocs on the site for my daughter!

What do you feel makes AEO special that you’ve stayed here for 45 years?

AEO is committed to giving back to our communities. I really appreciate how the company has maintained that commitment over the years. There is also a focus on inclusion and a dedication to people. I love the people I work with, and I appreciate the flexibility I have working here. I’ve worked at AEO through so many phases of my life and have always had the flexibility to balance work/life, which means a lot to me.

If you can give advice to a new hire, what would it be? Any words of wisdom!

It’s important to work hard but also play hard – balance is key. It’s also important to be a team player – we all want what’s best for each other!

AEO Foundation Distributes 34 Grants To Nonprofits In Communities Across New York, Pittsburgh and San Francisco

The AEO Foundation is committed to showing the world that there’s REAL power in the optimism of youth by supporting causes that matter to all of us and the world! In partnership with our associates, the AEO Foundation works to support local youth programming in our communities. Our nonprofit partners make a REAL impact by delivering dynamic programming to support our next generation of leaders, and we recognize their important work and are proud to support them! Click here to learn more about the AEO Foundation Community Grants Program.

Here are some of the organizations that will receive funding from the AEO Foundation for youth programming in Fall 2022.

NEW YORK
Common Threads provides children and families cooking and nutrition education to encourage healthy habits that contribute to wellness. They equip under-resourced communities with information to make affordable, nutritious, and appealing food choices. Knowing that food is rooted in culture and tradition, they promote diversity in their lessons and recipes, encouraging participants to celebrate the world around them. Common Threads was awarded a $5,000 grant from the AEO Foundation to support their High School pilot program, through which they will guide teens toward healthy nutritional habits and exposure to various food and health-centric careers through fun and innovative programming. The general program scope involves building life skills, exposure to the world of culinary arts, and education through cooking classes and internships. 

Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation was founded by local residents and merchants in 1983 to build a strong, sustainable Cypress Hills and East New York after a period of rapid neighborhood change, systemic disinvestment by city government and banks, and the flight of long-time residents and loss of local business. Since then, they have organized around housing, education, economic development/small business, bank reinvestment and for the end to the school to prison pipeline. They were awarded a $7,500 grant by the AEO Foundation to fund their College Success Program, which is dedicated to helping local residents reach college and earn their credentials within six years of high school graduation. They offer mental health counseling, opportunities for improved student learning, dropout prevention, attendance outreach, and extended services for the families of their students. 

Groove NYC‘s mission is to empower people to see things in a different way, to have their own perspective, and express themselves freely. GROOVE is an evidence-based movement and music curriculum that embodies the Social Emotional Learn (SEL) methods for young people to experience a growth Mindset, Self-Efficacy, Social Awareness, Positive Body Imaging, Empathy and Creativity. Since their launch in December 2019, they’ve facilitated thousands of people live and online to connect through the consciousness of dance and the healing arts. They were awarded $8,000 from the AEO Foundation to support their Youth Leadership Academy, an empowerment program that teaches essential leadership tactics to undergraduate students studying dance and/or education. By learning how to facilitate GROOVE activities and promote SEL through dance, their college interns gain valuable skills necessary for their careers, all while making a profound, immediate impact upon youth facing mental health struggles. 

GSS/FOSTER PRIDE empowers youth in the New York City foster care system to develop their talents, build self-esteem and reach their potential through mentoring relationships and the arts. Since 1993 over 15,000 youth have participated in visual literacy art classes; job preparedness and financial literacy workshops; internships programs and more that spark creativity, academic learning and help provide the resources these youth need to become successful, independent adults. They were awarded a $9,000 grant by the AEO Foundation to support their HandMade program, which provides the opportunity for youth in NYC foster care to launch their own line of crocheted items – youth keep $100% of sales. Through this creative experience and included financial literacy workshops, teens develop life skills and a sense of entrepreneurship that helps on their career paths and the competency they need to control their financial future.

NYC Outward Bound Schools In 1987, a group of education experts and Outward Bound enthusiasts, alarmed by the fact that fewer than half of NYC public school students were graduating on-time, founded NYC Outward Bound Schools with the belief that Outward Bound’s dynamic way of teaching and learning could have a transformative effect on student outcomes. Since then, they have adapted the lessons of Outward Bound into an innovative educational approach that challenges and supports young people to do their best work. They were awarded a $10,000 grant by the AEO Foundation to support Outdoor Adventure Programming for NYC Youth. This program includes overnight outdoor experiences for students – often the first wilderness-based experience for many participants. Their educational approach delivers rigor through active, real-world learning, develops character skills, inspires students to serve their communities, and instills in them the grit to overcome challenges,

Project I Voted, Inc. #iVoted Festival increases voter turnout by producing record-breaking webcasts and activating entertainment venues to let fans in on election nights who show a selfie from outside their polling place or at home with their blank and unmarked ballot. They meet young and future voters where they already are based per the data on the music and content they are actively engaging with. #iVoted Festival directly targets the historically low turnout group of young voters, while also engaging future voters, between the ages of 15 – 25, because people who vote in the first elections in this age range statistically become voters for life. They were awarded $7,500 to support #iVoted Festival 2022.

Student Leadership Network supports young people growing up in diverse, underserved communities to gain access to higher education, helping them fulfill their dreams. Through their work in college access and success, and girls’ and gender-expansive youth education, they are working toward a future without barriers to the educational opportunities all students deserve. They were awarded a $9,000 grant by the AEO Foundation to support their 2022-2023 Mental Health Empowerment Program, Robin, at The Young Women’s Leadership Schools of East Harlem. A coach-practice model of social-emotional teaching, Robin brings a new kind of mental health and wellness resource to adolescent and teenage students and their teachers. Robin provides a safe space for students to speak freely and openly about their mental health, and build healthy skills, habits, and mindsets to help them deal with real-life challenges. 

The Campaign Against Hunger‘s mission is to empower their neighbors to live healthier, more productive, and self-sufficient lives by increasing their access to safe, nutritious food and other resources. They were awarded a $9,000 grant by the AEO Foundation to support The Green Teens Workforce and Internship Programs, offering paid opportunities to school-aged youth during the summer months and beyond. The Green Teen interns begin their fellowship in June with a rigorous two-week training program that prepares them to perform agriculture and fieldwork, run weekly farm stands, lead volunteer groups, and conduct community outreach and workshops.

Urban Arts helps students explore their creativity and harness technology to defy the odds and define their future. They design and implement cutting-edge Creative Coding programs, rooted in the arts and technology that respond to the most pressing needs of students from underrepresented communities. They have served 250,000 students since 1991, and in 2022 they will serve more than 10,000 students across 75 K-12 Title I public schools in New York City. 

Urban Justice Center- Domestic Violence Project (DVP) is a team of twenty-one passionate, determined lawyers and advocates, supplemented through pro bono counsel, interns, and volunteers who together provide vital, holistic wraparound support and services to help survivors of intimate partner violence and their children establish safe, independent lives, free from violence and abuse. They were awarded a $5,000 grant by the AEO Foundation to support their Young Adult Empowerment programming, which will provide know your rights workshops, outreach, and legal access for DV survivors between the ages of 15-25. By empowering young people with information about healthy relationships, options for survivors, and their legal rights, Urban Justice Center is able to capture more potential victims and offer them intervention.  

Youth Entrepreneurship and Finance Association (YEFA) was created in 2022 to bring education surrounding business and finance opportunities to students. In conjunction with guidance from academic experts and industry professionals, students gain the confidence and experience necessary to take control of their financial future. YEFA was awarded a $1,000 grant by the AEO Foundation to support their Youth Sustainable Investment Challenge, an ESG-centered portfolio management competition in which students have the opportunity to think creatively, build their own unique strategies, and test out various financial instruments over the course of 3 months. Finalists (top 10 global students/teams) pitch their investment strategy to a panel of distinguished Wall Street judges, compete in New York City for a $10,000 cash prize pool, and attend a unique networking event in NYC with industry-leading professionals. 

PITTSBURGH
Communitopia provides transformative climate change education that develops today’s climate leaders and advances climate equity. They were awarded a $5,000 grant to support their Climate Action Teams, their successful extracurricular climate advocacy and leadership program designed to center youth voices in the designing of regional climate solutions. Climate Action Teams supports personal growth and development by building a sense of agency, hope, and optimism, sparking students’ interest in careers in sustainability and STEM, builds their understanding of local climate change impacts and solutions, and preparing them as our next generation of organizers, leaders, and change-makers. Their programs are offered free of charge at select middle and high schools in Pittsburgh’s highest-need environmental justice communities.

East End Cooperative Ministry (EECM) changes the lives of people facing the impacts of poverty. For over 50 years, EECM has been a community leader in addressing the issues that affect our area’s most at-risk, disadvantaged, and under-served populations. They were awarded a $5,000 grant to support their Children & Youth Services programming, which works to fill the need gaps and fundamentally address social, emotional, and behavioral needs of urban youth by providing mentorship, education and work training, holistic case management, and more. Their goal is to empower and equip children and youth in facing challenges, deviance, delinquency, dysfunction, detachment, violence, and school failure to become successful, socially competent persons and citizens who contribute to their families and communities. 

Girls of Steel Robotics Program, Carnegie Mellon University The Girls of Steel Robotics Program (GoS) was founded in 2010 to address the gender gap in STEM fields and to help students gain leadership, teamwork and communication skills in addition to technical skills like electronics, machining and programming that they may not receive in the classroom. They were awarded a $10,000 grant to support their High School Flagship Program, which provides more than fifty high school girls with the opportunity to push the boundaries of STEM challenges and pursue technological and team experiences that are not always found in the classroom.  

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank The mission of Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is to feed people in need and mobilize the community to eliminate hunger. They were awarded a $7,500 grant from the AEO Foundation to support their College Campus Cupboards, which serves a population of often overlooked food insecure college students in our region. There are 11 Campus Cupboards located in our service area. They include BC3 Pioneer Pantry (Butler County Community College), CMU, CCAC Allegheny, CCAC Boyce, CCAC Homewood, CCAC North, CCAC South, CCAC West Hills, Penn State Greater Allegheny, Point Park University and the University of Pittsburgh. Campus Cupboards are supplied with a variety of canned goods, soup, pasta, and other nonperishable foods, as well as some household items. Several of the cupboards will also offer fresh produce in season. Any student in need of food assistance may utilize the cupboards for free.

Hello Neighbor works to improve the lives of recently resettled refugee and immigrant families by matching them with dedicated neighbors to guide and support them in their new lives. They were awarded a $5,000 grant to support their Study Buddy Program, which was founded during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist immigrant families in bridging the digital divide brought on by at-home learning. Their Study Buddy Program continues today as a full-fledged tutoring program which matches young adult volunteer mentors with middle school and high school refugees to help them navigate new classroom technologies and provide academic and personal support, helping them navigate a new culture and set of systems.

Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild The mission of MCG Youth & Arts is to inspire creativity, learning, and personal growth through the arts. They were awarded a $10,000 grant to support their Apprenticeship Training Program, which serves teens from Pittsburgh and the surrounding communities and provides access to caring instruction and well-equipped studios for ceramics, photography, design, and digital arts with a focus on additive production (e.g., 3D printing), all at no cost to participants. In addition to valuable art skills, youth develop project management and collaboration skills, improve critical thinking abilities, are introduced to important artistic theories, and develop a life-long love of learning and the arts

Outreach Teen and Family Services For nearly five decades, Outreach Teen & Family Services has been a community resource, offering counseling and educational programs that are easily accessible, professional, non-judgmental, and confidential to children, teens and families. Outreach strives to ensure that children and families have the resources and services necessary to help them live happy and healthy lives. They were awarded a $5,000 grant by the AEO Foundation to support the formation of an organizational Youth Advocacy Committee, which will provide 10-12 youth aged 14-21 an ongoing platform to discuss and effect change on organizational issues and policies surrounding youth mental health and wellness, centering their experience and needs. 

Pennsylvania Women Work is a non-profit organization which operates workforce development programs that help participants to achieve financial stability, and fulfill their mission of transforming lives through empowerment, employment and economic independence. They were awarded a $5,000 grant from the AEO Foundation to support their 3 Cups of Coffee-GRAD Mentorship Program, which assists unemployed and underemployed college students in finding life-sustaining employment and creates social capital through networking. The program was founded to combat the disadvantage faced by many low-income and first-generation graduates from non-selective institutions, who often have limited opportunities for employment and career advancement due to a lack of “insider information” and connections to professional networks. 

Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media advances creative excellence in the arts, including studio, media, and creative writing. To achieve its mission, PCA&M provides equipment and facilities for individual artists, conducts educational programs, and stimulates public awareness and understanding through demonstrations, artist residencies, and exhibitions to cultivate a thriving arts community. They were awarded a $5,000 grant from the AEO Foundation to support I’m fine. The project consists of a series of community workshops in which participants create the ceramic mask they wear to portray, minimize or hide their mental health struggles. In the workshops, participants are introduced to the concept that art can tell their story and can be a lifelong learning tool to reduce pain and anxiety. The workshops also strengthen Pennsylvania communities by bringing people together to engage in dialogue and, in turn, to help individuals to feel less isolated and alone in their mental health struggles.  

Schools That Can works to build an education to employment pathway that closes the opportunity and skills gap. Their vision is a revitalized education to employment pathway in which ALL students they serve are prepared to succeed in a rapidly changing future. They do this by providing and facilitating research-driven, culturally-responsive career readiness programming to historically marginalized youth to help them prepare for 21st century life, learning, and work. The AEO Foundation awarded them a $5,000 grant to support their 125-hour Career Readiness Curriculum, a research-driven, multi-year program, embedded directly into the school day. Through three years of programming across grades 10-12, STC invites students at Passport Academy Charter School, Pittsburgh Brashear High School, Northgate Senior High School, and Woodland Hills High School to explore their purpose, gain exposure to in-demand STEM career pathways, and create a concrete plan of action for post-secondary success.

South Hills Interfaith Movement As a comprehensive human services organization for more than fifty years, South Hills Interfaith Movement (SHIM) provides critical supportive services to families living in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. They were awarded a $7,500 grant by the AEO Foundation to support their Youth Mentoring Program, which operates during the academic school year of the Baldwin-Whitehall School District and continues with engaging activities and support throughout the summer months. Their primary program goals for their participants are academic success, high school graduation, and developing a plan for future education and careers. Youth Mentoring hosts on average 70 students each month in six groups, addressing an array of life skills including cooking, fitness, volunteering, empathy lessons, mental wellness, budgeting to live independently as an adult, learning business skills, public speaking, and discussions about societal expectations.

The Mattress Factory is an artist-centered museum, international residency program and renowned producer and presenter of installation art. They say “yes” to artists, offering time and space to dream and realize projects in our hometown, Pittsburgh, PA. They invite audiences from around the world and around the corner to step inside, immerse and connect with the artistic process. They were awarded a $5,000 grant from the AEO Foundation to support their Teen Art Cooperative. In this free, eight-month program, a group of 15 teens acquire real-world skills through exposure to local artists, resources, mentorship and behind-the-scenes experiences at the Mattress Factory. While the program’s biggest impact is on these 15 teens who attend the program each week throughout the course of the year, an additional 35-50 teens will be impacted through participation in the Teen Co-op’s end-of-year, large-scale event.

SAN FRANCISCO
Berkeley Playhouse Inc. Berkeley Playhouse productions serve a diverse Alameda County audience of over 40,000 patrons annually, and their education programs have grown, to serving over 2,000 children per year through theater education classes, camps, conservatory, and free after school programming at public schools. They were awarded a $5,000 grant by the AEO Foundation to support Berkeley Playhouse YouthStage, which offers young actors between fourth through twelfth grades the opportunity to participate in audition-based, full-length, high-quality musical productions, through two divisions: KidsStage and TeenStage. This program provides an extraordinary opportunity for youth to learn alongside professional directors, musicians, vocal coaches, and choreographers. 

Marin Foster Care Association Founded in 2003, the Marin Foster Care Association (MFCA) is at the forefront of support and advocacy for foster children and their dedicated caregivers. Our main programs are designed to support a mission of safe, consistent, quality care for every Marin County child in foster care. They were awarded a $5,000 grant by the AEO Foundation to support The Opportunity Project. Often, a foster youth’s educational, emotional and physical challenges, as well as their skills and talents, have not been recognized until they enter the dependency system. Similarly, access to resources needed to help the foster youth flourish is limited. The Opportunity Project allows care providers to access grants for foster youth to participate in normalizing and enriching activities that fit their needs, whether it be a week-long tennis camp, six months of math tutoring, or even tuition at a dance studio for a year. Grants range from $50 to $2,500. 

HAZLETON
Minsi Trails Council, #502 Boy Scouts The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. The local Minsi Trails Council, BSA serves nearly 6,500 youth through the leadership of 2,200 adult volunteers. They were awarded a $5,000 grant by the AEO Foundation to support their Scoutreach programs in the Hazleton School District, serving boys and girls in grades 1-12. Through Scoutreach, youth participate in free programs offered immediately after school, on school property, and led by school teachers and other concerned adults, who are trained by Boy Scouts and paid a stipend to encourage great leadership. Uniforms, handbooks, advancements, literature, and summer camp are provided to youth free of charge . These strategies remove obstacles such as lack of leadership, transportation, and cost which often prevent youth from becoming involved in traditional Scouting programs.

United Way of Greater Hazleton, Inc. serves as the Hazleton community’s primary vehicle for financial support to human services priorities, and serves as the key agent for community education in these services. Today, the organization has 20 member agencies, collectively responsible for answering more than 170,000 instances of need in their community each year. They were awarded a $5,000 grant by the AEO Foundation to support United Way of Greater Hazleton American Eagle Outfitters Youth Allocation Program, which funds the development and enhancement of new and improved Hazleton youth programs. Previously funded programs include a summer camp offering a quiet safe space for children from homes with domestic violence, swimming lessons, scholarships for care at the Hazleton YMCA, and more.

MISSISSAUGA
Canadian Courage Project is Canada’s first non-profit organization designed to support the mental health of youth aged 15-24 who own animal companions as they transition out of shelters and into independent housing. To support local youth and their animals, CCP offers mental health, educational workshops, and essential personalized Wellness Departure Kits, and constructs animal care booths in collaboration with Greater Toronto Area (GTA)-based shelters. They were awarded a $10,000 grant by the AEO Foundation to support monthly Art & Mindfulness MH Workshops throughout Mississauga. Led by trained facilitators within CCP with the intention to support and mentor youth in shelters by drawing on their lived experiences, These workshops operate by using art in conjunction with mindfulness to create a space where youth can destress and express themselves through the medium of arts, while learning and practicing the tools of mental, emotional, and physical mindfulness. 

JA Central Ontario’s mission is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. JA Central Ontario was established in 1968 and is the largest charter in Canada, serving the Halton, Peel, Toronto, York, Durham, and Simcoe regions. They deliver immersive learning in work readiness, financial health, entrepreneurship and more. They were awarded a $5,000 grant by the AEO Foundation to support their Personal Finance program, serving 125 Mississauga high school students in the 2022/2023 with financial literacy programming. Their Personal Finance program teaches students key money management skills, including spending wisely, budgeting, saving and using credit. The curriculum involves discovering the importance of emergency savings funds and credit cards; learning how to manage finances at different stages of life; creating a monthly budget; identifying a good deal and making good decisions about credit cards and loans, and learning how to recognize potential risks to their personal finances. Students learn by doing through fun, relevant activities and can apply lessons learned to help them succeed. 

OTTAWA
CYCLOTRONS – TEAM 8112 was founded at Ottawa High School in 2019. Combining the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology, FIRST Robotics Competitions provide students with near real-world engineering experiences. Under strict rules, limited time and resources, teams of students are challenged to raise funds, design a team “brand,” hone teamwork skills, and build and program industrial-size robots to play a difficult field game against like-minded competitors. At Ottawa High School, FIRST Robotics students are taught the philosophies of gracious professionalism and cooperation through discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork, and fun. It brings forth student involvement and fortifies the true meaning behind FIRST. They were awarded an $11,000 grant by the AEO Foundation to support their upcoming season. 

ECKAN builds connections and provides program services in East Central Kansas to support the stability, health, and engagement of low-income individuals and families, providing a strategic and empathetic response to the critical needs of people and communities experiencing poverty. They were awarded a $10,000 grant by the AEO Foundation to support their Kindergarten – 12th Grade School and Summer Camp Fee Assistance program. Through this program, ECKAN helps provide Ottawa students with meals when they may have gone without food, helps to pay fees that allows students to participate in graduation activities with their classmates, and helps children remain socially engaged and fed throughout the summer.

Ottawa Recreation Commission serves to improve the mental and physical health and well-being of the citizens of their community. They accomplish this through well-planned, constructive programs of recreation and leisure activities for all. They were awarded a $1,500 grant by the AEO Foundation to support Ottawa Community Recreation Rentals, which allows for free rental of recreation equipment to individuals and families so that they can participate in activities offered at local Ottawa parks.

Ottawa USD 290 The mission of USD 290 is to nurture a safe, cooperative environment that values students, staff, and community and that ensures all students master the skills necessary to be productive citizens and reach their maximum potential. They were awarded a $2,500 grant by the AEO Foundation to support their Day on the Job Program, through which Franklin County students gain exposure to the realities of work, learn about the skills needed for various professions, and gain an understanding of the many gainful, high wage, and high demand employment opportunities that are available to them in Franklin County.  This program is delivered in partnership with Franklin County Development Council and delivered to all Junior students at Wellsville, Central Heights, and West Franklin High Schools. 

Retail TouchPoints: Inside AEO’s Inaugural ESG Report – A Blueprint for a Better World 

By: Alicia Esposito | Link to article

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (AEO) has invested heavily in winning the hearts, minds and dollars of Gen Z consumers. From Roblox to Snap, the retailer is dedicated to not just being where this consumer is but also creating compelling experiences that drive engagement. However, the parent company of American Eagle and Aerie knows that to drive true loyalty, a strong purpose needs to be at the center. After all, 92% of Gen Z consumers said they would act in support of a purposeful brand, according to research from Zeno Group.

That is why AEO recently unveiled its inaugural ESG report. Titled Building a Better World, the report was designed to spotlight more than two decades of internal and external work, and it highlights ESG achievements that span across Planet (Environment), People (Social) and Practices (Governance). Key milestones shared included:

  • Planet: 3.5 billion gallons of water saved by jeans factories since 2017;
  • People: More than $46 million donated to charitable organizations championing mental health, youth empowerment, education and the environment since 2012; and
  • Practices: 88% of AEO’s Board of Directors are unaffiliated with the company (i.e. “independent board members”) and 50% are diverse, defined by gender and/or ethnicity.

To reaffirm its commitment to these pillars, AEO has created a formalized ESG strategy and established a cross-functional working group and steering committee overseen by the Board of Directors. As a result, the company has an updated list of sustainability goals and priorities, including committing to set a long-term net-zero target by 2024; reducing water use per jean by 50% by 2025; and sourcing 100% renewable energy for all owned and operated facilities by 2030.

In an interview with Retail TouchPoints, AEO Chief Operations Officer Michael Rempell and Chief Human Resources Officer Marisa Baldwin dug deeper into the report’s takeaways and what the future holds for American Eagle as well as Aerie.

Retail TouchPoints (RTP): Can you expand upon how AEO developed its cross-functional ESG working group and steering committee?  

Marisa Baldwin: As a company built on inclusivity, we know there is real opportunity to Build a Better World, as the report title says, by collaborating together to make a difference. As an organization, our cross-functional ESG working group and steering committee encourages diverse input and multiple points of view, which helped us establish our Planet (Environment), People (Social) and Practices (Governance) initiatives. Our ESG strategy is intentionally connected to the growth of our industry-leading brands, corporate strategy and culture in order to generate shareholder returns with a purpose. The ESG working group and steering committee ensure Planet, People and Practices touch every aspect of our organization, as building on these is key to our business success.

RTP: How is the success of this group and committee measured? Do they need to communicate and share progress with the board and broader organization?

Baldwin: Three board committees provide oversight of our ESG activities and measurement, each reporting quarterly to the full board. The Nominating, Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility Committee reviews environmental impact, culture/IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity and access), human rights, charitable giving, board structure and governance issues and public policy. The Audit Committee monitors privacy and data security, anti-corruption and bribery, business ethics and integrity, responsible innovation, ESG measurement, controls and reporting. The Compensation Committee has oversight of human capital management disclosures, executive compensation and employee well-being.

RTP: How does AEO establish its sustainability goals and benchmarks? How do you ensure that you’re setting “moon shot” goals that are aggressive but can still, realistically, be achieved?

Michael Rempell: Our journey to protect our planet began many years ago. In 2013, we introduced our first set of targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within company-owned operations. In 2019, we expanded the scope and introduced specific, measurable climate goals for water, greenhouse gas reduction, raw materials and waste after an extensive review of the industry and our business practices. We believe it is important to set realistic yet meaningful goals that have a real impact on the environment, while also challenging us as a company to continuously do better. We frequently engage with our suppliers for their feedback and collaborate on any changes to improve processes and reach our goals.

In addition to benchmarking across industry indicators, we also surveyed thousands of our customers to gain an understanding of the issues they are most concerned about, and prioritized these learnings in the development of our goals. It is important to note that these goals are not static — they are meant to be revised as we learn more and progress through our sustainability journey. For instance, we reached our water goal two years early and are excited to continue growing efforts and pursuing even greater advances.

RTP: The “Real Good” label signifies products made using the company’s “highest environmental standards.” Can you expand upon what these standards are and what processes are implemented to ensure they’re being fulfilled?

Rempell: Real Good jeans are made in factories and mills that meet the requirements of our Water Leadership Program, which we launched in 2017 to set standards for our facilities, including criteria for water recycling, restriction of hazardous chemicals in wastewater, and water reduction in production. Real Good products make up more than 50% of AE and Aerie products and 95% of AE jeans, totaling 1.5 billion gallons of factory water savings in 2021 and the equivalent of 129 million plastic bottles in recycled polyester.

Each year, our expectations increase as we work with our factories toward meeting our overall water goals. Factories that meet our requirements receive higher scores on our vendor scorecard. They are prioritized for receiving our business and qualify for our Real Good label. This incentivizes our partners to focus on water-reduction investments such as computer-controlled washing machines that use a fraction of the water used by conventional washers and specialized treatment technologies.

RTP: What roles do mental health and wellness play in your ESG strategy? How do you see the focus on mental health and wellness changing over the next year and what efforts are being made to champion it within your organization?

Baldwin: Caring for our people is at the very heart of how we show up. Our company and brands celebrate individuality and amplify the unique voices of our associates, customers and partners.

The wellbeing, both mental and physical, of our associates, customers and communities has always been a top priority at AEO. We see ourselves continuing to grow our support in this space, ensuring that we are providing our associates with the tools and resources they need to take control of their mental health. We also believe in championing organizations that are paving the way for an overall better mental health experience.

We recently implemented new mental health benefits for AEO associates and their family members, globally, through Headspace. This membership is offered to all associates, free of charge, regardless of part- or full-time status. In addition, Bring Change to Mind (BC2M), a nonprofit dedicated to ending the stigma around mental illness, received the largest contribution in the charity’s history from AEO last year.

RTP: How are you measuring and responding to associate and corporate employee feedback to create an environment that is ethical, equitable and inspires progression and passion for the brand?

Baldwin: We place people at the center of all our decisions. We are continually reimagining connection and collaboration to empower our associates to feel confident in bringing their authentic selves to work every day. The culture we have built at AEO is one where associates feel a true sense of belonging and are given the opportunity to develop their careers.

One of the most exciting investments we’ve made for our associates, and to carry forward our vision for a more equal and inclusive society, was the creation of the REAL Change Scholarship for Social Justice, which was recently renamed the Steven A. Davis Scholarship for Social Justice in honor of AEO’s late board member. This is a $5 million commitment to advance educational opportunities for AEO associates who are actively driving anti-racism, equality and social justice initiatives.

We continually strive to listen, learn, grow and do good together. This includes ensuring candidate diversity in our recruiting process, fostering a culture of inclusion where associates feel valued and appreciated for their contributions, and improving our talent development process to ensure our associates achieve personal and career growth while at AEO.

RTP: What are some of the key learnings uncovered with the development of this report? And what lessons would you share with your retail peers as they strive to actualize their ESG goals?

Rempell: This report outlines two decades of ESG achievements and demonstrates that our work in protecting the planet, caring for our people and maintaining the very best business practices has been deeply integrated within the fabric of AEO for decades. Working on our report enabled us to take a deeper look at our programs and determine where we want to lean in as a company, which has been a tremendous benefit in helping us continue to broaden our Building a Better World strategy.

It is important to continue raising the bar to deliver consistent and meaningful progress. In working toward ESG goals, every milestone achieved presents new opportunities to do more. AEO is proud to lead by example and inspire all of our stakeholders to join us on our journey to Build a Better World.