#LIGHTUP @ Levi Strauss & Co.
The opportunity
Levi Strauss Europe engaged SIGNE to design and facilitate their inaugural Women’s Leadership Summit in Brussels, Belgium. This was a catalyst moment with the power to shift the culture at Levi Strauss. The Summit would kickstart a dynamic community that empowers women to design a life that lights them up. Our goal was to deliver an impactful experience that:
- encouraged authenticity, transparency and courage
- explored the healthy integration of work and life
- helped women clarify their vision, set priorities and take action
- provided tools and resources that support personal growth
- amplified every women’s professional leadership impact
The approach
We worked with our core team at Levi Strauss Europe to source the ingredients needed to build an audience-centric summit experience. First, we asked Summit participants to complete SIGNE’s interactive women's leadership survey to surface their day-to-day concerns, future aspirations and support needed to get there. The responses were vulnerable, transparent, authentic and relatable. The survey results provided the insight we needed to empathically design a Summit experience that would address the needs of our participants.
The experience
The two-day Summit agenda was designed to create a safe space for women to ‘try on’ new mindsets and behaviors. We intentionally structured time for personal reflection and visioning, community and peer mentorship as well as inspiration and recharge. Over 120 women attended the Summit, representing 10 countries across Europe. At a high-level, our design and facilitation included the following components:
- Executive messaging, compelling data and inspiring calls to action
- Activities that build empathy, connection and community across demographics
- Creative sessions to clarify future vision, define next steps and take action
- Inspirational success stories from executives and keynote speakers
- Breakout sessions to practice peer-to-peer mentorship and coaching
- Interactive exercises to crowdsource and co-create the future community
- Opportunities to relax and recharge (e.g., yoga, dinner, Indigo dying, music, etc.)
The Outcome
What happens in organizations when women find the clarity, confidence and support they need to design a life that lights them up? For Levi Strauss Europe, designing an experience that intentionally met the needs of their female leaders:
- Created community & connection
- Inspired new mindsets & behaviors
- Empowered leaders & hi-potentials
- Ignited passion & possibility
- Fostered loyalty & commitment
- Drove deeper impact & value
Client testimonial
“Katie and her team were invaluable partners in designing and facilitating our company’s first women’s leadership summit—an event several attendees called the best experience they’ve ever had at LS&Co. Katie’s rigor around designing an event to meet our business objectives and her flexibility in tailoring the event to a very diverse group of women were equally appreciated. We were thrilled with the level of engagement from the women at the summit and the spark of energy it provided us as we begin to focus more on women’s leadership as part of our company’s diversity and inclusion priorities.”
About SIGNE
At SIGNE, we deliver authentic and inspiring experiences, customized for the women in your organization. Our Engagement Programs create a grassroots culture where women elevate one another and thrive collectively. Our Development Programs are curriculums that tap into women’s potential to amplify their impact and self-transformation. Our Leadership Summits create the space for women to connect as a community, clarify their purpose and take action.