The hidden problem

The textile industry faces a paradox: everyone knows gender discrimination exists in factories, but low reporting rates and insufficient documentation prevent organisations from developing targeted solutions.

A collaborative solution

In 2023, the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles launched the "Gender Data Gap Partnership Initiative" to address this critical challenge. The project is being implemented as part of the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles and is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and brings together German textile brand (Hess Natur-Textilien and Gerry Weber International), non-profit organisations (Hessnatur Foundation and FEMNET, Global Standard gGmbH) and development agency (GIZ). The partnership developed a practical assessment tool that can be scaled across countries and stakeholders to measure, manage, and improve gender equality in textile manufacturing.

Testing the approach in Tunisia

The initiative piloted its methodology in the two Tunisian production facilities (Denim Manufacture and Manufacturing International Company) using a comprehensive two-level assessment system:

• Level 1 collects basic workforce data and information about existing policies on gender-based violence, harassment, and non-discrimination.
• Level 2 involves detailed individual and group interviews with diverse workers, covering health and safety, recruitment, training, leadership opportunities, wages, social dialogue, and violence prevention.

The assessment requires specially trained female auditors who are external, neutral, and culturally competent, without language barriers. This approach ensures workers can speak openly about their experiences in a safe environment.

Breakthrough results

The assessment focuses on three critical areas:

• Occupational safety of pregnant women
• Promotion opportunities for women
• Psychological and physical violence in the workplace.

Based on these findings, the Partnership developed targeted measures to promote gender equality and sensitisation training to raise awareness of gender-specific challenges. Importantly, a capacity building guide and employee questionnaire are created to ensure workers have input in determining the most suitable measures for their specific workplace.

A scalable and transferable solution

The project has produced an Assessment and Action Guide that companies can use to create lasting positive improvements and enhance working conditions for women. The guide includes questionnaires, evaluation methods, and action planning tools, along with a recommended training program covering gender data gaps, women's rights, labour law, and non-violent communication.
Business cases demonstrate clear business benefits of addressing gender equality:

• Companies with high gender diversity are 25% more likely to be profitable (McKinsey,2020)
• Diverse teams increase creativity by 59.1% and improve problem-solving (ILO,2020)
• Inclusive working environments increase employee commitment and reduce turnover (Maurer & Qureshi, 2019). 

The Gender Data Gap Initiative proves that measuring gender equality is not only possible but essential for creating safe, and healthy working environments for all workers in the textile industry. It provides a replicable model for textile companies across Europe and beyond to assess and improve gender equality in their supply chains, supporting broader EU objectives for social sustainability and human rights due diligence.