Degree® Launches 'Change the Field,' in Corporation with FIFA and USWNT Forward, Christen Press, to Create More Inclusive Soccer Communities Across the U.S.

Degree® aims to encourage the soccer community to implement DEI trainings into their programs to keep girls of color on the field

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Aug. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As the Women's World Cup 2023^TM continues to dominate headlines, Degree®, in support of FIFA, is aiming to encourage more girls of color to play soccer by launching 'Change the Field,' a program that aims to create more inclusive soccer communities across the U.S.

While interest in women's soccer in the United States has grown exponentially over the last 25 years, research shows that while more girls of color are joining soccer, girls of color still drop out of sports at 2x the rate versus girls who are white and live in suburbs.¹ Degree's Change the Field program is working to create safe and inclusive environments for girls of color on and off the field with the Girls Can series – a continuation of the Degree Breaking Limits program that aims to provide girls worldwide with the confidence and opportunity to play soccer. The free 'Girls Can' training modules will help equip coaches, teachers and community leaders with the skills and knowledge to ensure that equal opportunities in soccer exist for women and girls everywhere. The modules can be accessed via degreedeodorant.com/us/Soccer-Degree-2023/.

"We're committed to making soccer a more welcoming space for the next generation of players," said Desi Okeke, Director of Degree® North America. "As a brand committed to creating a world where everyone has the confidence to move more, the Degree® Change the Field program is the epitome of that notion, calling on coaches and soccer communities across the U.S. to help create a world where girls everywhere feel seen, supported, and have the confidence to thrive on and off the field."

As part of the brand's efforts, Degree® has also partnered with 2x World Cup Champion and Angel City Forward, Christen Press, to launch the 'Change the Field,' and drive awareness of the free 'Girls Can' modules. "As a black woman and professional soccer player, I am committed to using my own voice and platform to inspire girls of color to keep joining the sport, but also inspire the sport's leaders to foster inclusive and diverse atmospheres for these girls," said Christen Press. "Degree and I share a passion for advancing the sport toward a more inclusive environment, which is why I hope my message encourages coaches, players, and leaders alike to implement Degree's inclusivity modules in their communities." 

Degree® is working with Street Soccer USA (SSUSA), to ensure that girls everywhere have the confidence to move and play soccer. SSUSA is an organization on a mission to strengthen communities through soccer and to improve health, education, and employment outcomes for youth who face enormous challenges. Degree® and SSUSA are coming together in Christen's hometown of Los Angeles to provide local girls soccer teams with a day of training drills, games, and remarks from Christen Press to educate on how to make soccer more inclusive. 

The 'Girls Can' training modules and 'Change the Field' program are part of Degree's® larger brand mission to inspire the confidence to break barriers. Degree® has committed more than $5 million over the last five years to inspire more people to move beyond their limits as part of its broader global Breaking Limits program. This program supports those who face the biggest barriers to being active – whether those barriers are due to race, sexual orientation, ability, gender, age and more – and provides them access to coaches and mentors, along with safe spaces to move. The program is meant to support the brand's long-term commitment to help millions of young people transform their lives through the power of movement by 2030.

About Degree®  

Degree® deodorants and antiperspirants are designed to inspire the confidence in everyone to move more. We make it our business to know about sweat, and what we learn informs every product innovation to help you keep moving. As a brand designed for and dedicated to promoting movement, Degree® has always believed in the power of movement to enhance our wellbeing. Yet, we know that the opportunity to move is not distributed equally, which is why we have made a commitment to ensure everyone has the freedom to move and help youth transform their lives through the power of movement. We are bringing this commitment to life through a variety of ongoing partnerships and programs that strive to help everyone find the confidence to move beyond limits. Visit www.degreedeodorant.com and follow us on Instagram and Twitter to learn more.  

About Unilever North America

Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of Beauty & Personal Care, Home Care, and Foods & Refreshment products, with sales in over 190 countries and products used by 3.4 billion people every day. We have 148,000 employees and generated sales of €52.4 billion in 2021. Over half of our footprint is in developing and emerging markets. We have around 400 brands found in homes all over the world – including iconic brands like Dove, Knorr, Hellmann's, Magnum, Axe, Ben & Jerry's, Degree, Seventh Generation, St. Ives, Suave, TRESemmé, and Vaseline.

Our vision is to be the global leader in sustainable business and to demonstrate how our purpose-led, future-fit business model drives superior performance. We have a long tradition of being a progressive, responsible business. It goes back to the days of our founder William Lever, who launched the world's first purposeful brand, Sunlight Soap, more than 100 years ago, and it's at the heart of how we run our company today.

The Unilever Compass, our sustainable business strategy, is set out to help us deliver superior performance and drive sustainable and responsible growth, while:

• improving the health of the planet;
• improving people's health, confidence and wellbeing; and
• contributing to a fairer and more socially inclusive world.

While there is still more to do, in the past year we're proud to have achieved sector leadership in S&P's Dow Jones Sustainability Index, 'Triple A' status in CDP's Climate, Water and Forest benchmarks, and to be named as the top ranked company in the GlobeScan/SustainAbility Sustainability Leaders survey for the eleventh consecutive year.

For more information on Unilever U.S. and its brands visit: www.unileverusa.com

For more information on Unilever Canada and its brands visit: www.unilever.ca

PRESS CONTACT 
Thea Nagle  
Thea.Nagle@edelman.com

SOURCE Degree