A focus on gender - Better Work

ABOUT US
Present in 13 countries across three continents, Better Work brings together governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, global brands, factory owners and workers to improve working conditions in the garment industry and make the sector more competitive.
- THE PROGRAMME
- GOVERNANCE
- OUR TEAM
- OUR PARTNERS
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WHAT WE DO
Better Work engages with the garment industry at the factory, national and international levels. We engage with factories through assessment, advisory and training visits, and we use our data and evidence to inform national and international policy discussions.
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WHERE WE WORK
Better Work began in Cambodia over 20 years ago. Since then, we have expanded to 13 country programmes, with opportunities for further expansion - to new countries and new industries - on the horizon.
- COUNTRY PROGRAMMES
- THEMATIC INTERVENTIONS
  - Madagascar
  - Sri Lanka
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OUR EVIDENCE
Better Work collects data from factory assessment and advisory visits, and we work with reputable, independent academic researchers who report findings on the efficacy of our work and trends in the broader industry.
GET INVOLVED
How brands and retailers can get involved How factories can get involved Media and general inquiries
Looking for something else? Please use the contact us option to connect with a specific office or department that can best meet your needs.

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This thematic brief is based on the independent assessment carried by Tufts University on the Better Work Programme

Better Work is playing an important role in promoting gender equality, with factories in Haiti, Nicaragua and Vietnam seeing a substantial reduction in the gender pay gap due to their participation in the programme. In Haiti, women were previously working longer hours for less pay than men. Over the course of the programme, the average number of weekly hours reported by women decreased, while their total pay increased relative to men. Similarly, in Nicaragua, the gender wage gap declines, as does the gap in working hours between women and men. In Vietnam, Better Work’s positive impact on closing the gender pay gap intensifies as factories maintain their access to the programme’s services over several years.

Previous research from the Better Factories Cambodia programme supports the premise that formal garment sector jobs can play a significant role in reducing the disparate outcomes for men and women. Nationally in 1996, women earned nearly 40 percent less than men in Cambodia. By 2007, the gender wage gap had decreased to 17 percent. This trend accompanied the sharp growth in apparel exports that occurred after the implementation of the U.S.-Cambodian Bilateral Textile Trade Agreement and the establishment of Better Factories Cambodia to ensure compliance with labour standards.