Living wages are a strategic imperative for European businesses, directly influencing supply chain resilience, brand reputation, and long-term performance. By closing living wage gaps, German textile companies mitigate risks of labor disputes, enhance productivity, and meet growing regulatory and consumer demands. Yet, significant living wage gaps persist, particularly in majour manufacturing hubs like Vietnam. Addressing these gaps is not only an ethical imperative but also crucial for building sustainable supply chains and resilient economies.

The project “United for Fair Wages” brings together a range of members of Sustainable Textiles Switzerland (STS) to learn, identify measures and coordinate joint action. In the frame of the project, Swiss and German brands and retailers have discussed on how to identify wage gaps, convince management, and formulate measures related to purchasing and financing practices, standards and certification, worker empowerment and dialogue, and capacity strengthening.

The webinar will share lessons learnt and good practices of the project. It will allow German brands to understand key measures to reduce wage gaps, and to integrate them into their business strategies. The webinar may lead to the replication of the project in the form of United for Fair Wages 2.0.