Inditex, one of the fashion world's best-known retailers, has joined forces with the Asian University for Women (AUW) to unveil a revolutionary scholarship program that will pay for the university education of 50 Bangladeshi female textile factory workers over five years. Spain's retail colossus has pledged €3.75 million to the endeavor, which includes tuition fees, accommodation, and living costs for beneficiaries throughout their studies.
This new project is an important move in countering the barriers women have to access higher education in Bangladesh, especially among workers in the textile industry—a vital component of Inditex's international supply chain. While the number of women attending university is increasing in Bangladesh, it remains lower than for men, and numerous women are prevented from accessing further education due to economic and social obstacles.
The scholarship scheme seeks to close this gap by providing selected workers with the chance to pursue pre-university and undergraduate studies at AUW, an institution dedicated to empowering women from disadvantaged groups. The academic assistance is meant not only to enhance the lives of individual beneficiaries but to develop a new generation of leaders and change-agents in their communities and workplaces.
"At Inditex, we're convinced that empowering women through education is one of the most powerful means of promoting long-lasting, meaningful change in these communities," said Inditex CEO Óscar García Maceiras. "With this scholarship program, we're making an investment in the future of women workers the backbone of our supply chain by offering them the tools to open doors to new opportunities and promote progress in their communities".
Cherie Blair, Chancellor of AUW, also welcomed the initiative, saying, "This collaboration reminds us of what truly matters the most vulnerable of our society must receive the opportunities to move above the circumstances that enclose the potentialities in their life. I applaud Inditex for this long-term commitment."
The initiative is scheduled to start next academic year. AUW will undertake outreach and selection processes in Inditex's supplier factories, i.e., information sessions, interviews, and entrance exams to select deserving and qualified candidates.
The initiative reflects Inditex's overall commitment to social responsibility and sustainability through investing in the empowerment of women who are a significant part of its global operations on a long-term basis.
