Combining resources, expertise, innovation, and a commitment to refugees, Inditex and UNHCR have renewed their partnership to support the forcibly displaced Rohingya people in Bangladesh.
Having started as a collaboration in 2020 to support refugees across different regions of the globe, Inditex – one of the world’s largest fashion retailers – and UNHCR – the UN Refugee Agency – have announced the renewal of their strategic partnership in order to improve safety and climate resilience in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh.
The renewed partnership agreement was signed by Barham Salih, Former President of Iraq and UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and Óscar García Maceiras, CEO of Inditex. Specifically, Inditex has confirmed it will allocate €13 million between 2026 and 2028 to improve the living conditions of nearly 1.2 million refugees, including the provision of clothing, footwear, and home goods.
The company has emphasised the support for these forcibly displaced individuals as part of its community investment strategy.
“For more than two decades, we have worked continuously with leading social organisations on international cooperation and humanitarian aid projects supporting refugees and forcibly displaced people across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe. Maintaining this commitment and continuing to contribute to this cause is a source of inspiration for everyone at Inditex,” states Óscar García Maceiras.
The collaborative project is implemented under an Integrated Settlement Planning approach. This will prioritise the enhancement of community safety, support of relocation to lower-risk areas, and improvement of essential infrastructure, alongside climate adaptation measures to address the impact of increasingly common extreme weather patterns in vulnerable humanitarian contexts.
Located in Cox’s Bazar, which is one of the largest refugee settlements in the world and the most exposed to climate risks, these camps are facing myriad natural disasters, including landslides, flooding, heatwaves, and lightning storms. This makes it all the more critical to improve current conditions and advance more sustainable and resilient solutions for the future.
Alongside this project, the agreement between Inditex and UNHCR will increase the distribution of basic relief items in additional humanitarian operations. Inditex will donate approximately 7.5 million items of clothing and footwear to refugees in Uganda, Chad, and other countries, as well as dedicate €2 million for the logistics costs associated with such distributions.
According to Barham Salih, “This partnership demonstrates the vital role the private sector can play in standing with refugees and the communities that host them. These resources will help strengthen safety and climate resilience for Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, whilst helping families meet urgent needs and lay the foundations for a more hopeful future.”
The partnership between these two organisations extends beyond financial support and donations; it emphasises collaborating closely to improve safety and living conditions in refugee settlements, promoting climate adaptation measures, and creating opportunities for refugee inclusion in labour markets. Additionally, it leverages private sector knowledge through pro bono initiatives to improve efficiency, sustainability, and the implementation of humanitarian solutions.
The contributions from Inditex stem from the funds it has raised via the sale of paper shopping bags and envelopes, launched in 2021 to encourage reusable alternatives for shoppers. It directly complements other environmental projects Inditex participates in with a range of partner organisations.
It is through this combination of resources, expertise, innovation, and shared commitment to refugees that the partnership between Inditex and UNHCR showcases how organisations can work together to improve lives whilst implementing lasting changes in global communities.
