People
GENDER EQUALITY IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN
COS stands for equality and empowerment. Throughout our direct business partners and product manufacturing partners we contribute to the work of over 128,000 workers in 12 different countries. Each country has a unique culture, societal norms, legal contexts and levels of gender equality, resulting in women being more likely to be unemployed or have insecure contracts.
Having proper employment is one of the most important means for women’s empowerment and independence – with almost 64% of the workers in the factories in our supply chain being women, we have a responsibility to ensure that they are safe, healthy and empowered both in and outside of their everyday work environment.
We have been collaborating with global partners, governments and local policy makers, as well as our suppliers, to set clear goals and initiatives to ensure our supply chain meets local laws and International Labour Organisation standards, while striving to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
To create further impact, we have aligned with H&M Group and Plan International’s strategy, to identify four key focus areas to reach our ambition to achieve gender equality in our supply chain: health and safety, career and development, equal pay, and representation.
Since launching this strategy in 2020, we are already seeing a positive trend in the progress being made towards our ambitions.
WOMEN ARE SAFE
WOMEN CAN INFLUENCE
WOMEN CAN ADVANCE
WOMEN HAVE EQUAL PAY
OUR GOALS
THE REPORT
ARCHIVE
THE COS TOTE: FOR EQUALITY AND EMPOWERMENT
Yanindayiz Dernegi, Türkiye
We work with Yanindayiz Dernegi to fund the delivery of trainings to improve awareness and understanding of gender equality and gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) issues in the workplace and beyond, by activating men’s participation in the discussion. Our goal? To reach approximately 5000 female and male workers as well as their family members and the wider community.
CARE Bangladesh
COS funds the establishment and delivery of women-friendly spaces in local communities close to our supply chain, in partnership with CARE Bangladesh. These spaces provide education on GBVH, stress management, and nutrition, as well as psychosocial support and other counselling to over 4000 women and 1000 family members in their communities. Photograph courtesy of Erik Undehn
CARE Bangladesh
COS funds the establishment and delivery of women-friendly spaces in local communities close to our supply chain, in partnership with CARE Bangladesh. These spaces provide education on GBVH, stress management, and nutrition, as well as psychosocial support and other counselling to over 4000 women and 1000 family members in their communities. Photograph courtesy of Erik Undehn.