The fashion giant PVH Corp., owner of brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and IZOD, has established a new partnership with the Gabelli School of Business in the school’s centennial year. The partnership intends to promote corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability.

PVH Corp. announced the partnership, along with a contribution of $1 million towards the Gabelli School of Business, on Jan. 2 of this year. According to PVH Corp.’s press release on their website, this curriculum-oriented partnership aims to develop students into the conscientious business leaders of tomorrow using a range of conferences and new academic proposals for undergraduate and graduate students.

PVH Corp. chairman and CEO Emanuel “Manny” Chirico, GSB ’79, is an alumnus of the Gabelli School of Business. Two of his sons also attended the Gabelli School of Business. Chirico is currently on the Board of Trustees of Fordham University.

Chirico gave multiple talks to Fordham students and received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Fordham University in 2018. He said he supported the partnership in a press release for PVH.

“This partnership demonstrates PVH and Fordham’s shared commitment to educate the future by harnessing the power of corporate responsibility for both financial successes and societal impact,” he said.

According to PVH Corp.’s website, the company’s commitment to corporate responsibility in the pursuit of sustainable fashion has been especially prevalent over the past few years with it’s Forward Fashion strategy, which promotes corporate responsibility in the world of apparel.

The corporation described several steps it took for the establishment of corporate responsibility in its 2018 CR Report, such as signing on to initiatives promoting sustainability and the circular economy. One such initiative is the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Make Fashion Circular Initiative, which would help to reduce the waste created by the production of new garments by ensuring that clothes can be easily recycled and reused.

“The concept of business with purpose is deeply embedded in our DNA at the Gabelli School,” said Donna Rapaccioli Ph.D., dean of the Gabelli School of Business, about the partnership’s particular focus on sustainability.

“People are more aware than ever that business has a tremendous potential to address social and environmental needs,” she said. “Partnerships like this one will let our students live out their commitment to doing good through business.”

Rapaccioli said this sustainability-focused partnership aims to take a holistic approach to impact by promoting sustainability for both students and faculty.

“[Partnerships] help us see that those lessons on business with purpose aren’t only lessons in theory, but things they’ll be faced with practicing when they leave here and quickly have to make crucial decisions as business leaders,” said Rapaccioli.

PVH executives will also be teaching Gabelli students in Ground Floor classes about sustainability in supply chains and judging their business plan competition.

According to Rappacioli, PVH Corp. will partner with the Gabelli School of Business and Ernst & Young, the leading multinational professional services company, for the first of a series of yearly conferences, said Rapaccioli.

On Mar. 5, the first of these conferences, “Work 2040: Future of Work in a Sustainable World Conference,” will be held in the McNally amphitheater at Lincoln Center.

“The agreement also allows [the university] to expand our CSR and sustainability curriculum across all programs, and to enhance research by funding a faculty fellowship program, a visiting scholars program and a new global grant program that will really help form [the university] into the leading hub for the study of CSR,” said Rapaccioli.