We're extremely proud of each and every one of the over 52,000 associates who work for VF across the globe. Every individual on our team looked at their career options and decided that VF was the company that best fit their life. Not only do they enjoy great benefits like health and wellness plans, retirement plans, product discounts and tuition reimbursement but - just as important - they connect with our strong values and dynamic brand cultures.

Whether you prefer a laid-back casual workplace or a more urban, sophisticated atmosphere, VF offers a wide range of "brand environments" to work in - each reflecting the lifestyles of brands like Lee®, The North Face®, Reef®, Timberland® and Wrangler®. And while each of our businesses is different, all share a core respect for the individual and an appreciation of what each person can bring to the organization.

We care about our associates and how we fit their lives. And to help us better understand these relationships, we conducted a global survey in 2008 to find out what our associates were thinking and feeling about working at VF. Needless to say, we were quite pleased with the results, which include these highlights:

- 95% said they were proud to work for VF - 89% said VF is a fun place to work - 4 out of 5 VF associates across the world would "recommend VF as a good place to work," better than best-in-class benchmarks, and, according to Gallup research, the best indicator of the health and strength of a company's employment brand.

But don't just take our word for it. As the following quotes from the survey reveal, our associates are quite capable of articulating their thoughts and opinions for themselves. (Attributions are not provided because this was an anonymous survey.)

"During my time with VF, I have felt valued for my knowledge and abilities. VF encourages their associates to improve on a personal level as well as a professional level. I feel that VF truly believes its greatest asset is their employees."

"Very open, supportive and a goal-driven company. Fun bunch of people. People are friendly, hardworking and treat each other well."

"I feel fortunate to be with such a great corporation. To be honest, I couldn't imagine working for another corporation. VF is truly the Gold Standard of corporations in my opinion."