Inditex to finance studies for 50 textile workers in Bangladesh

Culture

Oscar Maceiras, CEO of Inditex at the Asian University for Women. Credits: Inditex.

Inditex has announced a new scholarship programme in collaboration with the Asian University for Women (AUW), aimed at facilitating access to higher education for workers from supplier factories in Bangladesh, one of the most important countries in its global production chain.

In a country where access to university for women continues to be a privilege, the initiative seeks to offer 50 workers the possibility of pursuing pre-university and university studies over the next five years.

With an investment of 3.75 million euros, the programme will cover tuition, accommodation and maintenance, and will be managed by the AUW, which will directly organise entrance exams and interviews at the workplace.

Oscar Maceiras at the Asian University for Women with Rubana Huq, Vice Chancellor of AUW. Credits: Inditex.

Women have silently sustained the foundations of the global fashion industry for decades. In countries like Bangladesh, they represent more than 80 percent of the workforce in textile factories. They are, in effect, the true gear that keeps the fashion system running, although they are rarely recognised as such.

“At Inditex, we believe that empowering women through education is one of the most effective ways to generate positive and lasting change in these communities,” said Inditex CEO Óscar García Maceiras, during his conference at the Asian University for Women.

From the AUW, its rector Cherie Blair highlighted the transformative potential of education: “As the first in my family to enter university, I know how powerful higher education can be to open doors that would otherwise be unimaginable.”

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.

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