Programme to promote employment in Spain for people in a situation or at risk of social exclusion

Since 2011, Inditex has been supporting the Social Economy and Employment Programme of Cáritas to foster inclusion into the job market of people suffering from or at risk of social exclusion. The collaboration is based on three fundamental pillars:

• A mentor for each person, to support their social inclusion.
• Skills and employability training, to support their access into the job market.
• Encouraging community initiatives that promote justice, social cohesion and the generation opportunities for everybody.

Throughout 2015, Inditex supported a total of 23 such projects which helped 1,302 vulnerable people by improving their job prospects: 1,156 received training and 493 people found a job.

Integral community welfare and development programme in Cambodia

Community development and health programmes were run in Cambodian rural areas of the Battambang, Preah Vihear, Kampong Thom and Siem Reap provinces. These programmes were implemented with the help of community associations and volunteers and in cooperation with health centres and local authorities.

The main targets are to improve animal rearing and crop productivity, as well as to raise household income levels. Farmer cooperatives and home production are promoted with this aim, adapting to climate change challenges and the consequences of natural disasters. These programmes highlight in particular the importance of maternal and child health and improve access to hospitals and health centres. Vaccination is also promoted, as well as raising awareness on pregnancy care, and monitoring nutrition of children below 2 years of age.

Community development programme in Bangladesh

This programme focuses on sustainable improvement in terms of socio-economic issues and rights in rural populations and poor urban areas. It has been conducted in Bangladesh’s Rajshahi, Naogaon, Dinajpur, Sherpur and Mymensingh districts. The initiative has helped to improve families’ living standards and has increased access to social rights, improved sanitation and education. The initiative also facilitates access to land ownership and organization.

Furthermore, access to job opportunities has been promoted based through training and food safety. It has also empowered women, the driving force of these communities, by supporting them to earn an income.

The aim is to reduce the vulnerability of people in poverty through education and skills training thereby, improving living standards, diversify income and guarantee access to sanitation, within a framework of strengthening communities.

Programme to improve the welfare of garment workers in Morocco

In 2015, Medicus Mundi Andalucía launched this pioneering project to improve the health conditions of workers in the textile sector in Tangiers (Morocco). The aim is to create a method to improve the health conditions of workers.

The programme revolves around the following lines of action: promotion and improvement of health; promotion of sexual and reproductive health; improved access for workers to primary health services; training in risk prevention; first aid in the textile industry, and reinforcement and development of services for occupational health and safety.

In 2015, six companies took part with the voluntary inclusion of 57% of their workers, from the areas of human resources and medical services. The supervision and promotion of health has been carried out in partnership with the Regional Department of Jobs and Social Affairs of Tangiers.

Integration programme for the immigrant population in Brazil

During 2015, through the Associação Escola da Cidade – Arquitetura e Urbanismo (AEC), Inditex contributed to setting up the CIC Inmigrante (Centro de Integración a la Ciudadanía del Inmigrante) in São Paulo. The centre, funded through a €2 million contribution from Inditex over three-years, brings together different support services for the integration of immigrants into Brazilian society. This is a pioneering initiative in São Paulo, which seeks to guarantee the fundamental rights of the immigrant population.

This year, Inditex also reaffirmed its commitment to promoting human rights and improving working and social conditions of immigrants by supporting social organizations such as CDHIC, CAMI and MISSÃO PAZ. This social investment initiative has directly benefited 55,307 immigrants in a vulnerable situation.

Every Mother Counts Programme

In May 2015, Inditex and the non-profit organization Every Mother Counts (EMC) signed a collaboration agreement to provide medical care during pregnancy to vulnerable women in different parts of the world.

Through this new project, EMC has provided prenatal care to women without resources in New York and Florida (United States). A comprehensive healthcare network has also been introduced for pregnant women in rural areas of southern Bangladesh. The scope of these campaigns has been extended to raise awareness and mobilize volunteers in supporting health programmes worldwide.

These actions are being carried out in collaboration with specialized institutions, and seek to achieve better levels of health during pregnancy, birth and post-birth, decreasing surgical interventions and avoiding complications during pregnancy, among other aims. It also attempts to reduce premature births and underweight babies, as well as to reduce issues resulting from obesity by offering better nutritional options.

Water.org Programme

In December 2015, Inditex and the non-profit organization Water.org signed a four-year partnership agreement. Under the agreement, Inditex will donate almost €3 million to Water.org’s WaterCredit programme, which facilitates access to micro-finance for people on low incomes in developing countries.

The WaterCredit micro-finance is allocated in a way which encourages access to drinking water and sanitation facilities. The activities already in progress in Bangladesh will be extended and introduced in Cambodia, which aims to improve the health of more than 160,000 people in both countries.

WaterCredit is conducted with local partners selected with stringent criteria, mainly non-profit micro-financing institutions. This facilitates philanthropic investments to obtain a better and more efficient impact. Elsewhere, 25% of the total contribution to Water.org will be targeted at a research and development fund called New Venture Fund, to combat the water crisis.