Skip to main content
About HEC About HEC Faculty & Research Faculty & Research Master’s programs Master’s programs MBA Programs MBA Programs PhD Program PhD Program Executive Education Executive Education Summer School Summer School HEC Online HEC Online About HEC Overview Overview Who
We Are Who
We Are
Egalité des chances Egalité des chances HEC Talents HEC Talents International International Campus
Life Campus
Life
Sustainability Sustainability Diversity
& Inclusion Diversity
& Inclusion
Stories Stories The HEC
Foundation The HEC
Foundation
Coronavirus Coronavirus
Faculty & Research Overview Overview Faculty Directory Faculty Directory Departments Departments Centers Centers Chairs Chairs Knowledge@HEC Knowledge@HEC Master’s programs Master in
Management Master in
Management
Master's
Programs Master's
Programs
Double Degree
Programs Double Degree
Programs
Summer
Programs Summer
Programs
Exchange
students Exchange
students
Student
Life Student
Life
Our
Difference Our
Difference
MBA Programs MBA MBA Executive MBA Executive MBA TRIUM EMBA TRIUM EMBA PhD Program Overview Overview HEC Difference HEC Difference Program details Program details Research areas Research areas HEC Community HEC Community Placement Placement Job Market Job Market Admissions Admissions Financing Financing Executive Education Executive Masters Executive Masters Executive Certificates Executive Certificates Executive short programs Executive short programs Online Online Companies Companies Executive MBA Executive MBA Infinity Pass Infinity Pass Summer School Youth Programs Youth Programs Summer programs Summer programs HEC Online Overview Overview Degree Program Degree Program Executive certificates Executive certificates MOOCs MOOCs Summer Programs Summer Programs Youth programs Youth programs

Instant

Addressing Menstrual Hygiene Management in Supply Chains: The Case of Inditex

Case Study
Published on:

The business case study co-authored by Sam Aflaki, Professor of Operations Management and Sara Rezaee Vessal, Assistant Professor of Operations Management at ESSEC, and HEC Paris graduate Victoria Reca, has just been released on The Case Centre platform. The case tackles the societal taboo topic of menstrual hygiene management at the work place of women textile factory workers who do not have adequate access to self-care products.

textile industry women - cover

Photo Credit: NDABCREATIVITY on Adobe Stock

Women workers play a critical role in the garment Industry; especially at Inditex, one of world’s largest fashion retailers with brands including Zara and Massimo Dutti. Of the 165,000 employees worldwide at Inditex, approximately 76 percent are women. Indeed, the company is among the pioneers to address the issue of access to menstrual hygiene needs. 

Inditex’s initiative that started as a means to reduce absenteeism of female workers has become part of the company’s global CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) efforts.

why this case?

Traditionally, menstruation is viewed as negative or dirty by many religious and cultural beliefs. As a result of the stigma, economic factors, and poor education, over 500 million women are negatively impacted by poor hygiene. In addition to absenteeism, poor hygiene practices have several negative consequences, including an increase in reproductive tract infections and school drop-out rate for teenage girls.

textile industry women

Photo Credit: MicroOne on Adobe Stock

The case can be taught from different perspectives such as diverse and inclusive supply chain, corporate social responsibility, social entrepreneurship, gender equality and women’s health and wellbeing. 
 

Find the case on the Case Centre: "Case spotlight: Inditex: Is ‘greening of the red’ possible? Addressing Menstrual Hygiene Management".

Related content on Case Study

Bertrand Quélin
Bertrand Quélin
Bouygues Chair Professor in "Smart City and the Common Good"
Bertrand Quélin
Bertrand Quélin
Bouygues Chair Professor in "Smart City and the Common Good"
Subscribe button for Knowledhe@HEC newsletter

Newsletter knowledge

A monthly brief in your email box and 3 issues of the book per year.

follow us

Insights @HECParis School of #Management

Follow Us

Support Research

Our articles are produced thanks to our reader's support