Major consumer goods firms including Unilever and Twinings have announced new and expansive commitments to improving the health and empowerment of more than 250,000 female workers and community members.
The firms, Unilever, Twinings, Nordstrom, Lindex, Shahi, MAS Holdings, Hela Clothing, Inditex, Share Hope, and Ethical Apparel Africa said that they are offering a number of programmes across 14 countries.
These programmes include, health and empowerment information or services, on topics including contraception, maternal health, menstrual health, reproductive cancer screening, skill building, anti-harassment programmes.
The commitments were announced at the Women Deliver 2019 Conference, the world's largest global gathering on gender equality and the health rights of women.
Women make up between 50% to 80% of the workforce, while hundreds of millions of women work in global supply chains, in sectors like garment manufacturing, flower farming, and coffee, cocoa, and tea production.
Basic Protections
However, the needs of these women workers, from basic healthcare, to protection from harassment, to economic empowerment, are often neglected.
It reports that a healthier workforce reduces absenteeism and turnover while increasing productivity, helping companies reap the benefits of financial returns and positive social impact.
“Companies employing millions of women in their global supply chains have an enormous opportunity to invest in the health and empowerment of their workforce, helping meet women right where they are – in the workplace – with critical information and services, while building a healthier, more productive workforce,” said Robyn Russell, director of programs and innovation, United Nations Foundation’s Universal Access Project.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Helen Galgey. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
