H&M embarks on anti-racism programmes

'I know it is hard to accept after this incident, but racism is not in H&M’s DNA.'

H&M at Ilanga Mall, Nelspruit

H&M will embark on anti-racism global and local programmes, after a global outcry over their racist hoodie advertisement, Mpumalanga News reports. The outrage the hoodie has provoked several countries around the world.

In a statement by the store, Pär Darj, H&M Country Manager says they have already taken urgent steps globally and locally to ensure that such offensive products are never produced in their name ever again.

“I know it is hard to accept after this incident, but racism is not in H&M’s DNA. We will make every effort to root out racism and any form of prejudice in our business,” he said.

“It is clear that our usually high standards of checks and balances have failed us dismally. We know we let many people down. We have apologised for the hurt and humiliation we have caused so many people after we produced a hoodie with the slogan ‘Coolest Monkey In The Jungle’ featuring a black child wearing the garment in our global online store outside South Africa. Our position is clear. We got this wrong and we are deeply sorry,” said Darj.

“We are a company committed to strong values. We care about the impact our business has on communities. We have identified four priority areas driven by our sustainability programme globally: education, water, equality and the environment,” he further stated.

According to Darj in South Africa they have supported education initiatives through the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation since 2015. “We believe that education is critical, but also recognise that there are other priorities to address. After consultation with several NGOs, talking to our staff, listening to people affected by the issue, we have decided to do more to focus on our commitment to equality.

“We want to make a positive contribution to eradicate racism, both in South Africa and around the world. The H&M Group has appointed a global transformation lead reporting directly to the CEO to fix the structural problems that resulted in the hoodie being produced. Global programmes will be developed building on what the company has already done to improve diversity and inclusiveness,” he explained.

“All our stores are open. The security of our employees and our customers is a priority for H&M, particularly after the disruptions in some of our stores. We have improved security to ensure safety in our stores,” said Darj.

Specific interventions include the following:

1. The Swedish Embassy and the Anti-Racism Network of South Africa (ARNSA) will co-host an anti-racism workshop with H&M next week to develop a deeper understanding of the issues this incident provoked.
2. A position will be created in South Africa for a local head of sustainability and transformation.

3. A specialist organisation working on anti-racism issues in South Africa will train H&M Headquarter management teams on issues of diversity. Training will also be provided for local employees.
4. The marketing management team from Sweden will work with local black agencies to develop a deeper appreciation of socially-responsible marketing.
5. H&M has started assessment of South Africa as a sourcing market for the H&M Group. We aim to identify sourcing opportunities that could fit our business model and establish long lasting business relationships with local partners. Potentially this could lead to local sourcing for products offered or utilised in our H&M stores.
6. We are also investigating potential collaborations with local South African designers.
7. We will continue to create employment in South Africa. H&M has plans to open 6 new stores this year creating 300 new jobs, with further expansion plans in the years to follow.

https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/ahmed-kathrada-foundation-wants-to-meet-hm-over-racist-advert/

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