Levi Strauss Foundation in collaboration with BSR, a sustainability and business solution organization, revealed details of a research within its HERproject.

Levi Strauss Foundation is a philanthropic subdivision of Levi Strauss and Co. that supports such issues as HIV/AIDS, asset building and workers rights. Currently the Foundation is supporting the global HERproject.

The main idea behind the HERproject is improving of women work on factories. It’s not new that it’s mainly women who “cut the patterns, sew the seams and make the buttonholes”, says Levi Strauss official blog. And it would be reasonable to provide these women with the information they need to live better and healthier.

The research was made in four factories in Egypt and Pakistan. It examined absenteeism and turnover rates to define HERproject business benefits. The study enhanced the value of the idea of investing in women’s health.

Three out of four factories in the study achieved reductions in absenteeism and turnover. They also saw decreased production errors as a result of improved worker retention, concentration and performance.

In one factory in Ismailia, Egypt, absentee rates dropped from 19 percent to 10.7 percent, and turnover fell from 14.5 percent to 8.1 percent. This represents an estimated savings of $ 48,000, which is a striking figure as it’s four times greater than the original investment.

Gains in employee development were achieved in all factories and not only among apparel workers themselves, but also among nurses, supervisors and human resource officers. More workers learned new skills and took advantage of services offered by factory health clinics.

Levi Strauss states that the business case matters very much, because it helps make women matter—to their supervisors, to their peers, and to themselves. And last but not least, such investments help to save money. The saved money and the results can encourage further investments in women’s health throughout the global supply chains that employ millions of women around the world.

Other global companies that participate the HERproject are Abercrombie & Fitch, ASDA, Clarks, Columbia Sportswear, Hewlett Packard, J.Crew, Li & Fung, Marks & Spencer, Microsoft, Nordstrom, Primark, Talbots, and Timberland.

Levi’s released its first-ever global ad spot ‘Go forth’ in the beginning of August.