Williams-Sonoma Reaches and Sets New Worker Wellbeing Goal for Supply Chain Education

March 10, 2021  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Industry   

To achieve this new goal, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will continue to partner with BSR’s HERproject and VisionSpring to empower workers in supply chains by providing vision services and workplace programs promoting health, financial inclusion, and positive gender relationships.

“In honor of International Women’s Day, we are proud to announce the achievement of our 100,000 worker wellbeing goal and our new commitment to empower even more workers in our supply chain by 2030,” said Laura Alber, president and CEO. “As many of the workers in our supply chain are women, we believe that it is even more important to provide trainings, resources, and services that are focused on the specific challenges and opportunities faced by women. Working with organizations such as BSR and VisionSpring allows us to accelerate transformation and sustainable growth in the places where we operate.”

“BSR’s HERproject is proud to have partnered with Williams-Sonoma, Inc. on its remarkable effort to train and empower 100,000 workers in its global supply chain by 2020,” said Aron Cramer, president and CEO of BSR. “By training and educating both women and men, Williams-Sonoma and BSR have demonstrated how engaging all workers in women’s empowerment creates stronger, sustainable impacts that benefit the educational and financial well-being of families far beyond the workplace. We look forward to our continued partnership and expanded impact over the coming years.”

HERproject stands with women as they take greater control of their lives, ensuring that they can make and act on choices they value. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. recognizes that true gender equity cannot be achieved without engaging both men and women, and for this reason all factory workers were invited to participate in the program to celebrate the positive impact of a gender-equal world. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. runs HERhealth and HERfinance programs in factories to offer trainings to workers in these areas. These programs have reached over 64,000 workers in 52 factories and 5 countries since 2014.

VisionSpring provides low-income workers with easy, affordable access to eyewear and exams. These resources are crucial elements of care for weavers, artisans, and anyone whose vision affects their ability to earn a living and support a family. Since the program began in 2016, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. provided exams and eyewear to over 38,000 workers in India, Nepal, Vietnam, and the Philippines.