Kontoor Brands
Scaling leadership development across continents—without compromising engagement
Challenge
Kontoor Brands, home to iconic denim brands Lee and Wrangler, has a global workforce of 15,000 employees across 50+ countries. To support leadership development at scale, they needed a more engaging, accessible, and interactive training approach. Their existing tools and methods made it difficult to deliver impactful learning experiences across diverse teams and time zones.
Solution
By adopting Howspace, Kontoor Brands created a flexible, interactive, and engaging leadership training program. The platform enabled both live and self-paced learning, encouraged peer-to-peer engagement, and provided real-time insights into leaders’ needs–all while overcoming geographical and language barriers.
Results
Scaling leadership training without losing engagement
With global operations spanning North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America, Kontoor Brands needed a scalable leadership training solution that would enable them to connect leaders worldwide and reach employees regardless of their location and time zone.
Kontoor Brands’ existing training solutions presented multiple roadblocks:
- Limited interactivity and engagement, making training feel like a “tick-the-box” exercise.
- An LMS that was more input-driven and didn’t support the kind of collaborative, interactive learning they were aiming for.
- Time-zone challenges making it difficult for all leaders to participate in live sessions.
- Learning felt isolated, missing the peer-to-peer connections that make leadership development meaningful.
According to Melanie Calle, Sr. Manager Talent Development at Kontoor Brands, they needed a more dynamic and inclusive approach to training–one that could bridge geographical gaps while making leadership development more relevant, engaging, and interactive. “We wanted to ensure that learning is truly experiential—not just a one-size-fits-all, check-the-box exercise. For us, real impact comes from meaningful, interactive learning that leaders can apply in their own roles,” Melanie explains.
“We wanted to ensure that learning is truly experiential—not just a one-size-fits-all, check-the-box exercise. For us, real impact comes from meaningful, interactive learning that leaders can apply in their own roles.”
Beyond passive learning: How Howspace enabled collaborative leadership training
Kontoor Brands found the missing piece in Howspace. Instead of passive learning through recorded webinars and static content, they created a living, breathing digital learning experience that:
- Allowed leaders to learn at their own pace with interactive content, videos, and reflection questions.
- Enabled real-time and asynchronous engagement, overcoming time zone barriers.
- Encouraged peer learning, where leaders could discuss challenges and share insights in a collaborative space.
- Made learning visually engaging and multilingual, ensuring every leader could fully participate.
“I strongly believe that learning from a peer resonates far more than learning from a teacher presenting theory. Peers truly understand the challenges you’re facing because they’ve been in the same situation, making their insights much more relevant. That connection is incredibly valuable.”
The impact was immediate. Leaders who previously struggled to engage in training now felt part of an interactive, meaningful learning experience. One of the biggest successes was creating a space where leaders could connect and learn from each other–something that wasn’t possible with Kontoor Brands’ existing LMS.
“I strongly believe that learning from a peer resonates far more than learning from a teacher presenting theory. Peers truly understand the challenges you’re facing because they’ve been in the same situation, making their insights much more relevant. That connection is incredibly valuable,” Melanie explains.
Leadership training that sticks – real impact, real change
Since implementing Howspace in their leadership training programs, Kontoor Brands has seen a big shift in how leaders experience and apply their learning. What was once a passive one-size-fits-all training approach is now an interactive, personalized, and truly global experience.
Global reach without barriers
One of the biggest wins has been the ability to bring leaders together, no matter where they are. Before Howspace, time-zone differences and geographical spread meant that some leaders simply couldn’t participate in real-time learning. Now, with a mix of self-paced and live elements, every leader has the flexibility to engage in a way that works for them–without feeling left out or missing critical discussions.
Higher engagement, stronger participation
Another key shift has been in how leaders interact with learning content. Instead of passively consuming training materials, they now actively contribute, reflect, and discuss with their peers. The ability to share experiences and insights in real-time has led to more meaningful discussions and a deeper understanding of the concepts being taught. The change has been so impactful that some leaders even requested longer virtual sessions–something unheard of in traditional training formats.
A community of leaders learning from each other
Leadership can sometimes feel isolating, but Howspace has helped build a real sense of community among Kontoor Brands’ leaders. Through ongoing discussions, collaborative exercises, and shared reflections, leaders now see that they’re not alone in their challenges. They can learn from each other’s experiences, exchange ideas, and build relationships that continue beyond the formal training sessions. This shift has improved the training experience and strengthened cross-regional leadership connections within the company.
“Building connections and networking is a key priority in our leadership development programs—we want to create a strong internal community where leaders can learn and grow together,” Melanie says.
A more tailored and responsive learning experience
Beyond engagement, Howspace has allowed Kontoor Brands to better understand and respond to leaders’ learning needs in real time. Instead of delivering a fixed training program with little room for modification, facilitators can now see emerging themes and areas where leaders need additional support. For example, when a recurring challenge around delegation surfaced in discussions, additional resources were provided to address the need immediately–something that wouldn’t have been possible with their previous training approach.
Making learning stick with real-world application
Perhaps most importantly, Howspace has helped ensure that learning doesn’t end when the training session does. The platform encourages leaders to apply what they’ve learned to their daily roles, with built-in reflection points and opportunities to set development goals. This direct connection between learning and performance has made leadership training at Kontoor Brands more than just a one-time event–it’s now an ongoing process that continuously supports leaders in their growth.
“It’s important that participants not only engage with the content but also take the time to reflect on how it applies to their own role and team—whether they lead a remote team, manage a large group, or have just started in their position.”
“It’s important that participants not only engage with the content but also take the time to reflect on how it applies to their own role and team—whether they lead a remote team, manage a large group, or have just started in their position,” Melanie describes.
The results speak for themselves; Kontoor Brands now has a scalable, engaging, and impactful leadership training program that reaches leaders worldwide, enables meaningful connections, and delivers real business impact. With Howspace, Kontoor Brands has moved beyond traditional training limitations to create an interactive and highly effective learning experience–one that supports leaders in their growth and development.
Curious to see how Howspace can support your leadership training programs? Book a demo today and discover the power of Howspace for yourself.
Similar customer stories
View all
Leading Trade Union Innovation and Learning: How Unions 21 Enable Unions to Claim Their Agency
Discover how Unions 21 empowers trade unions through inclusive, engaging online learning with Howspace—helping them stay connected, adapt to change, and lead renewal across the movement.
Scaling leadership development across continents—without compromising engagement
Discover how Kontoor Brands transformed leadership development across continents with Howspace, improving engagement and creating a stronger global community.
WEA’s online course for digital skill development achieved outstanding engagement compared to typical MOOCs
Learn how WEA Finland utilized Howspace to create an impactful online course, resulting in high engagement rates and empowering participants to enhance their digital skills.