Last Updated: 2023.03.08
Fast Retailing Sets New Targets to Empower Female Workers in Bangladesh
FAST RETAILING CO., LTD.
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Fast Retailing today announces new targets for its successful Women Empowerment Program in Bangladesh. The targets are part of Fast Retailing's continued efforts to champion the empowerment of women in the global apparel industry.
The new targets - set to be achieved by the end of 2025 at eight of the company's partner garment factories in Bangladesh are:
- 1,500 female workers trained to be supervisors
- On average, at least 30% of supervisory and/or managerial roles to be held by women
- Female employees will have increased access to:
- childcare facilities and services;
- physical and mental wellbeing support; and
- safe transportation to and from the workplace
Fast Retailing initiated the Women Empowerment Program in Bangladesh in 2019, supported by UN Women, with the aim to help more women become leaders in the workplace. To date, the program has focused on providing advanced leadership and technical-skills training sessions for female workers who aspire to become supervisors. By the end of FY 2022, 163 female workers (51% of trainees) at those factories participated in the program had been promoted to management positions through the program.
In 2023, Fast Retailing seeks to expand and deepen the impact of the program. In addition to increasing the number training sessions to include a greater number of workers, a new focus for the program will be to strengthen the enabling environment for female workers to thrive and feel safe in the workplace. Activities will include supporting the implementation of new and fit-for-purpose childcare facilities and services for production partners; understanding the challenges and opportunities female workers have to access better physical and mental wellbeing support; and reviewing and addressing existing risks female workers face when commuting to and from the workplace with factory management.
