This International Women’s Day, RISE is urging brands, buyers, and suppliers in the global garment, footwear, and home textiles industries to collaborate with financial service providers to build a more resilient future for the sector and its workers.

The majority of workers in garment supply chains are women, many of whom face challenges in accessing digital banking services and managing their finances effectively. This lack of financial inclusion makes it difficult for them to achieve long-term stability.

“Addressing these issues requires a collaborative, 360-degree approach, which RISE facilitates by bringing together global buyers, suppliers, financial service providers, and local training organisations. When these different stakeholders jointly invest in digital wages, the benefits are significant: efficiency gains at the factory level, greater transparency across the supply chain, and market expansion opportunities for financial service providers. For workers, especially women, digital wages provide a pathway to financial health and resilience,” says Christine Svarer, RISE Executive Director.

Launching on 6 March, the #WhenWomenRISE campaign will highlight how industry-wide collaboration leads to both individual success and broader societal and business improvements.

“After attending financial training, I have the confidence to manage my finances and share my knowledge with my colleagues,” says Ry Vat, a garment factory worker and RISE Financial Health Peer Educator.

With support from the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, the campaign was filmed in Cambodia at a partner factory that has implemented RISE Financial Health programmes since 2021. It features factory workers and managers discussing the impact of combining wage digitalisation with financial training.

RISE has been partnering with global brands, buyers, and financial service providers since 2012, supporting 244 workplaces worldwide and reaching over 420,000 workers—58% of whom are women. Key programme outcomes include increased use of mobile money, higher savings rates, improved family financial decision-making, and greater confidence in handling unexpected expenses.

RISE is a collaborative initiative advancing equality in global garment supply chains. Its programmes address issues such as violence and harassment in the workplace, financial inclusion, and workers’ rights. Since launching in 2023, RISE has reached over 730,000 workers across 583 locations in nine countries, with 64% of participants being women.

https://riseequal.org