Inditex

Mar 14

“Women play a critical role in the global garment industry, which is why Inditex places them at the center of our supply chain strategy. We can only foster a sustainable supply chain by taking a gender perspective that allows us to understand the issues faced by women and ensure they have access to health and well-being services they need to thrive.”

- Felix Poza, Chief Sustainability Officer, Inditex

Inditex, a global fashion group, commits to expand its Women Empowerment Strategy in its supply chain to reach more than 1 million female workers with health, protection, and empowerment programs by 2022, and specifically commits to reaching at least 70,000 women workers with health care services such as maternity and reproductive health care by 2022.

The textile industry is a pillar of the economy in many of the countries where Inditex operates, and women occupy the majority of jobs at all stages of production playing a critical role. Making progress towards gender equality is thus critical to the achievement of decent work. Inditex works to ensure that all the women in its supply chain can enjoy the best conditions and the same opportunities as men.

Women Empowerment is at the center of the Inditex Social Sustainability Strategy. Inditex commits to expand its Women Empowerment Strategy in the supply chain to foster the work already done regarding women´s health, protection and empowerment, with effective partnerships and collaborations. Inditex aims to reach more than 1 million female workers by 2022 with women empowerment activities.

Inditex has invested in a number of women’s health, protection, and empowerment programs. As of 2017, these programs included: (1) a program in Morocco with Medicus Mundi Andalucia to provide health and social services, including reproductive health and feminine hygiene, to 1,129 workers in across 13 factories; (2) a program in India with St. John’s Medical College and Swasti providing 2,700 workers and managers with health, harassment, and gender equality training on topics such asreproductive and maternal health, nutrition, hygiene, HIV/AIDS, ergonomics, access to local health services, and gender equality; (3) a program in India with Swasti developing an anti-discrimination and anti-harassment guide, strengthening systems addressing sexual harassment grievances, and creating a social protection help desk where workers can easily access services, reaching 3,550 workers; and (4) a program in India with SAVE to provide training and awareness on women’s labor rights and anti-harassment reaching 11,000 people.

Inditex will continue to develop this strategy across its three pillars. Specifically, under the health pillar, Inditex aims to develop its program for awareness and access to health care services for women, including maternity and reproductive health, reaching at least 70,000 women workers in four sourcing countries by 2022. Inditex also commits to work to prevent any kind of discrimination in the workplace, including workplace harassment, with anti-harassment training and services. To foster the empowerment of women, Inditex will also promote gender-sensitive management systems and culture at the workplace.