Vietnam—Helping a Global Apparel Company Safely Re-Open Factories During COVID-19

DAI’s Sustainable Business Group assisted VF Corporation—one of the world’s largest apparel, footwear and accessories companies—to reduce COVID transmission and safely re-open key supplier factories to employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, while maintaining business continuity. DAI oversaw a COVID-19 response program that directly supported factories across process development, procurement, and training, and saw the safe reopening of seven VF supply chain factories in compliance with Vietnam’s government guidelines.

DAI’s support included:

• Providing personal protective equipment and test kits for workers.

• Developing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for self-testing and safe reopening of factories.

• Developing and distributing health promotion materials focused on building the knowledge of factory employees about COVID-19.

• Training factory management and clinic staff on SOPs and health promotion materials for onward training at their own factories.

• The program included regular communication with the factories and a monitoring and evaluation process to measure the short-term impact of the program.

“At VF, we want people in our supply chain to live better, healthier lives because of their connection with VF. DAI supports our mission by working with us to effectively develop and deliver health programs to our supply chain workers in Indonesia and Vietnam that are timely and relevant to workers’ needs.”

Jens Aas, Worker and Community Development Program Manager, VF Corporation