US apparel company VF Foundation has supported garment workers affected by factory shutdowns in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Partnering with GlobalGiving and BRAC organisations, the company’s charitable arm, the VF Foundation, has donated US$100,000 to more than 5500 families in Bangladesh. Each family received a cash stipend to purchase food and other necessities for two weeks.
“The VF Foundation helps the world’s most vulnerable people during crisis scenarios, especially in those areas where we do business,” said Peter Higgins, VP of global responsible sourcing at VF Corporation. “Given the scale of the challenge the world is facing, this is an important step and just one of many actions VF is taking as a comprehensive approach to supporting Covid-19 relief efforts in those areas where we have a high number of supplies and people who help make VF products.”
A program manager at BRAC, Linda Patentas, said the donation recognises the acute need in many vulnerable communities across Bangladesh. Without the social safety nets, many workers will not be able to feed themselves if they are unemployed.
Besides the foundation’s donation, VF Corporation has approached its suppliers in Bangladesh to ensure workers are paid for manufacturing its products. The company has also offered support to suppliers affected by pandemic.
