While female workers account for around 80 percent of the apparel industry, it is often difficult for them to develop sustainable and fulfilling careers.
This is the first formal alliance between UN Women and a clothing company based in Asia.
The project will target partner factories in Bangladesh, China and Vietnam, to identify gender-based challenges and responding to the findings, UNIQLO and UN Women will jointly implement specialized training for female workers selected from 200 partner factories.
UN Women: The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
UN Women: The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide in 2010.
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Diversity and Worker Empowerment Initiatives
| 2019 | Signed Global Partnership with UN Women to empower female workers in apparel industry. Program development to provide specialized training for female workers in partner factories Appointed first female Chief Executive Officer(CEO) for UNIQLO Japan Moved the Diversity and Inclusion Office from Human Resources Department to the direct management of the president. |
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| 2018 | The percentage of women in management positions across the Fast Retailing Group reached 36%, exceeding 30% target for fiscal 2020. Opened an in-house childcare center for employees at Tokyo and Ariake head offices in Japan. Introduced a flextime work system and babysitter subsidy program for eligible Fast Retailing Group head office employees in Japan. |
| 2017 | Introduced a new work-from-home arrangement for eligible Fast Retailing Group head office employees in Japan. |
| 2016 | Launched the "Factory Worker Empowerment Project" to provide educational support for female garment workers in Bangladesh and Indonesia. |
| 2015 | Established Diversity and Inclusion Office in the Human Resources Department. |
| 2013 | Established a scholarship of USD 1 million over five years for students at the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh. |
Fast Retailing
UNIQLO
Initiatives to support female
workers at partner factories
