Brandix to roll-out Gap Inc.’s PACE program for female associates

Tuesday, 21 August 2012 01:33 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Gap Inc. PACE program is a life and work skills education program designed to positively impact female garment workers in factories that make Gap Inc. product. The program provides workers with foundational skills, technical training and support to help them advance in the workplace and in their personal lives.

Female garment workers participating in the program take part in eight modules of life skills education including communication skills, problem-solving, time and stress management, health and nutrition, financial literacy and gender equality. Participants also receive enhanced technical skills training. Research shows that Gap Inc. PACE graduates are more productive, have lower rates of absenteeism and are promoted faster than factory workers who do not participate in the program.

“Brandix is happy to undertake the implementation of this valuable empowerment program,” said Head of CSR for the Group Anusha Alles, adding. “Implementing the Gap Inc. PACE program and integrating it into our internal learning curriculum reinforces Brandix’s commitment to bettering the lives of our associates.”

Gap Inc.’s Social and Community Investment Director Ira Puspadewi said, “We are very happy that Brandix has chosen to expand the Gap Inc. PACE program to their facilities in Sri Lanka. PACE is successful in part due to the commitment vendors such as Brandix have made to integrate the program into their on-going factory trainings.”

As a first step, nine selected trainers from Brandix Casualwear are to be trained as trainers for the PACE program. These trainers will in turn train 210 Brandix associates from Brandix Casualwear, Ratmalana, beginning in August and September this year. The training will thereafter be rolled out across all business units of the Brandix Group, Alles said.

In 2007, Gap Inc. launched a pilot phase of the PACE program in India. Gap Inc. has since further developed the training content, and with vendor partners, has scaled up and replicated the PACE program in Cambodia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. To date, more than 10,000 female garment workers have participated in PACE program trainings. In September 2011, former US President Bill Clinton recognised Gap Inc. for its commitment and model approach to addressing challenges in economic empowerment through the PACE program. Sri Lanka’s single largest apparel exporter, the Brandix Group is supported by 38 manufacturing locations in Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh. The Group provides direct employment to over 40,000 Associates in total, while providing indirect employment to at least an equivalent number. Brandix was ranked among the top five employer brands in Sri Lanka in a recent national survey covering top companies in the country.