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Safety footwear manufacturer pledges $1M to support women in skilled trades
B.C. group to benefit from She Builds program
May 18, 2022 By Ground Water Canada
KEEN Utility, the safety work boot division of KEEN Inc., has launched a program that supports nonprofit organizations in the United States and Canada dedicated to the empowerment and education of women seeking a career in the skilled trades.
The She Builds grant program pledges $1 million in needed product and financial support over the next five years to trailblazing non-profit organizations in both countries.
Organizations to benefit from She Builds grants include the British Columbia Institute of Technology’s Trades Discovery for Women, Black Women Build-Baltimore, Girl’s Garage, Vermont Works for Women, Oregon and Tradeswomen.
“Women are essential to the future of the skilled trades,” Robin Skillings, vice-president and general manager at KEEN Utility, said. “Supporting organizations that are deeply dedicated to the empowerment and advancement of women in the trades is critical. Through the She Builds grant program, we are solidifying our commitment to their future, and the growth of the trades, one
step at a time.”
The She Builds Grant is funded through The KEEN Effect, part of KEEN’s larger mission to make outside and the trades accessible to all. KEEN has committed millions of dollars toward social and environmental justice since 2003.
A leader in women’s safety footwear, KEEN Utility is positioned to champion the cause of welcoming more women into the trades and encouraging skills acquisition. The Tradeswomen Tested collection from KEEN Utility enlists the insights of tradeswomen working in a variety of professions from initial conception all the way through final product release and incorporates on-the-job feedback into future designs. By creating more inclusive and adaptive footwear built for and inspired by women in the trades, the brand established early on that the future of the trades is diverse and demands support.
More information about KEEN Utility’s women’s specific styles can be found by visiting
https://www.keenfootwear.com/work-tradeswomen-tested-collection/.
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