IMPROVING COMMUNITY WELFARE

At Inditex we believe that our resources and our activity can contribute to the development of society. To define the action lines of our social strategy we have aligned ourselves with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Thus, our investment in the community, which in 2016 benefited more than 1.1 million people, has had a special impact on: good health and well-being (SDG 3); quality education (SDG 4); decent work and economic growth (SDG 8); reduced inequalities (SDG 10); and responsible production and consumption (SDG 12).

IN 2016 MORE THAN ONE MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BENEFITED DIRECTLY FROM THE INDITEX SOCIAL PROGRAMMES

The investment in social programmes represents an opportunity to contribute to the development of society by applying our business resources. For this reason, at Inditex we promote voluntary participation in social initiatives aligned with our business drivers, which generate value in the community and in our company. The challenge is to leverage our strengths to maximise the positive impact on the beneficiaries of our programmes.

In 2016 we have made progress in linking our community investment model with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs represent the axes through which our commitment to the well-being of people and the community is carried out. A commitment embodied through numerous initiatives, including:

The reinforcement of regular collaborations in development cooperation and humanitarian aid through organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Water.org, Fundación Entreculturas and Cáritas.
The establishment of extraordinary emergency relief as a result of the refugee crisis in Europe and the earthquakes in Italy and Ecuador, among others.
New strategic long-term projects for specific activities in the academic field, in partnership with entities such as Tsinghua University, Comillas Pontifical University, among others.
The promotion of new strategic initiatives aligned with the business model, such as the programme to collect, reuse and recycle clothing in collaboration with non-profit entities such as Cáritas, Oxfam and the Red Cross. Or the introduction of new retail establishments as part of the for&from programme.

In 2016, Inditex’s investment in social programmes exceeded 40 million euros. This was 14% more than the previous year. The social programmes implemented during the year have directly benefited 1.1 million people.

RELATED SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS		INDITEX’S CONTRIBUTION
	Goal 3: Ensure good health and well-being for all at all ages.	The good health and well-being of communities is one of the priorities of our community investment programmes. We collaborate with benchmark entities in this area, such as Médecins Sans Frontières, the Red Cross or Medicus Mundi, both in emergency medical assistance initiatives and in programmes to improve health and community welfare.
	Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and quality education for all.	Education is one of the three fundamental areas of our community investment programmes. We develop various initiatives focused on providing opportunities through a quality education that enables a dignified life and promotes social justice and personal growth of people. Likewise, we collaborate with various educational institutions, both in our catchment area, such as the University of A Coruña, and the communities where we operate, such as Tsinghua University in Beijing.
	Goal 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all.	The sustainable development of the communities where we operate requires a guarantee of a decent job for the people that live there. To this end, we have developed various programmes to promote employment for vulnerable groups or those with difficulties in finding jobs. Accordingly, we partner both public entities and NGOs.
	Goal 10: Reduce inequalities within and among countries.	A high percentage of our investment in social programmes is devoted to initiatives that contribute to social integration and the reduction of inequalities. Moreover, we favour the involvement of our own employees in these initiatives with volunteer programmes.
	Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.	Inditex promotes responsible production and consumption through initiatives also related to community welfare. For example, in Spain we have started a strategic partnership with the Cáritas Confederation to strengthen its social economy projects, dedicated to the recovery of clothing and footwear through reuse and recycling.