Making decent work a reality for refugee workers
Inclusive growth and decent jobs are among the key factors in supporting the sustainable development of societies. Recognizing this, Business Call to Action (BCtA) member H&M Group is working towards creating sustainable and circular business models in the apparel industry.
According to the World Bank, middle-income countries are home to 75% of the world’s population and 62% of the world’s poor. Despite significant movement of people out of poverty every year over the past few decades, inequality within countries continues to rise. Companies such as H&M Group are focusing on the opportunities that increasing digitalisation and shifting towards more sustainable and circular business models can create around the future of work and securing a just transition for all people.
H&M Group originally joined BCtA in 2014 with a commitment to address the need for skilled workers and quality vocational training in the textile industry in Bangladesh by providing training to 5,000 individuals in its supply chain by 2016. This year, H&M renewed its commitment to BCtA with an inclusive business initiative in Turkey.
The goal of H&M Group’s Foreign Worker Programme is to increase the level of awareness about formal employment in the group’s supply chain in Turkey. The company will raise awareness among refugees working with 100% fair and equal labour principles by giving necessary training and expecting the same requirements for Turkish and refugee workers. As the second-largest buyer in Turkey, H&M Group works with textile suppliers and engages with production units and textile workers directly and indirectly in the supply chain.
The Foreign Worker Programme is also designed to eliminate the risks of unregistered labour in H&M Group textile factories. Since the textile sector is the in-demand sector among refugees, H&M Group collaborates with other brands and Turkish government authorities to pave the way for fair labour recruitment practices. After the necessary legislation and procedures are formed by the Turkish government, H&M Group revises its risk mitigation approach to integration approach for increasing the number of foreign workers in the supply chain for sustainable workforce in the textile sector.
“The Foreign Worker Programme supports and encourages suppliers to hire refugees in their supply chain by building networks among suppliers, national and international NGOs and other brands,” says Erdogan Sekerci, Social Development Specialist under the H&M Group team focused on Market Innovation and Capacity Development/Stakeholder Engagement and Public Affairs. “In 2021 more than 400 refugees were working in over 30 factories that produce for H&M Group. Our aim is to increase the number of factories and workers and continue capacity building activities in factories.”
Recognizing BCtA’s impact in supporting H&M Group’s inclusive business initiatives Sekerci says, “BCtA gives us a clear agenda on how to work on sustainability ambitions in light of the Sustainable Development Goals and in measuring the impact of the Foreign Worker Programme. BCtA‘s promising network increases the level of visibility and recognition of our work.”