VF Corporation Video Highlights 'WeCare' Family-friendly Workplace Achievements in China

Since 2018, VF Corporation have been partnering with The Centre for Child Rights and Business to support parent workers in their China supply chain, beginning with a Child Friendly Space at one of its factories. The initiative reunited left-behind children with their parents for the duration of the summer, while lowering employee turnover rates, increasing worker satisfaction and gaining repute in the community as an attractive family-friendly employer.

But in 2020, as the pandemic hit, parent workers were some of the hardest hit. The challenges they initially faced intensified and new challenges arose. The closure of schools and kindergartens meant that workers had to deal with an increased need for childcare and the stress of supporting their children’s online learning. To support the varied needs of working parents and factories, VF Corporation and The Centre rolled out the WeCare programme in five factories in China as part of VF’s Worker and Community Development programme. 

WeCare is a comprehensive but flexible programme that allows factories to select interventions based on their needs. VF Corporation’s WeCare programme included a Child Friendly Space, migrant parent training, Smartwatch distribution, PhotoVoice, family days at factories and young worker training. After the programme concluded, all five factories reported positive impact in the form of increased worker satisfaction and trust in management, reduced turnover and a strengthened reputation in the business community. Workers on the other hand reported getting closer to their children and feeling supported by their employer. 

The following video was produced by The Centre for VF Corporation and highlights the outcomes of theWeCare programme from participating suppliers' perspectives.

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