Business Wire.- HanesBrands, a global leader in iconic apparel brands, today announced a $2 million investment in three historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The four-year partnership involves North Carolina A&T, Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design and Winston-Salem State University.
The university partnerships will fund research and offer financial support to students in areas ranging from sustainability to fashion design to supply chain management. The investment will build on HanesBrands’ commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, providing opportunities for underrepresented minorities and building pipelines of diverse talent.
“Inclusion is at the core of who we are as a company, and we are committed to creating opportunity for all,” said Steve Bratspies, CEO of HanesBrands. “Our partnerships with these HBCUs are part of HanesBrands’ legacy of investing in our communities. The scholarships and internships that are part of this program will ensure that students have opportunities to acquire the education and experience necessary to succeed and will help build a diverse and inclusive workforce.”
HanesBrands will engage students at the universities who are studying Information Technology, Data Analytics, Supply Chain Management, Finance, Marketing, Fashion Design and Merchandising. The partnership includes scholarships, internships, mentorships and research grants.
“We’re proud to partner with HanesBrands, not only in student support but on industry-relevant research,” said Chancellor Harold L. Martin, Sr. of North Carolina A&T State University. “This partnership will give students industry and research experience that will lead to rewarding careers of impact after graduation, as well as growing a stronger workforce for HanesBrands and North Carolina more broadly.”
“Our students recognize HanesBrands as a company that offers meaningful careers and is making a positive difference in our hometown of Winston-Salem,” said Chancellor Elwood L. Robinson of Winston-Salem State University. “This partnership will bring learning opportunities directly to our campus. Having real-world industry experience and building corporate networks will be invaluable to our students as they prepare for careers in everything from finance to fashion design to supply chain.”
«We are humbled and honored that HanesBrands shares our same vision to not only see but also take the necessary steps needed to create a more diverse industry,” said D’Wayne Edwards, President of Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design. “The work we will co-create together will inspire, change lives and leave our industry better than when we entered it. Thank you to HanesBrands for believing in us and inviting us to be on this journey with you.»
The company will be a strategic partner of the HanesBrands Apparel Studio at Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design. The college, located in Detroit, is set to open in 2022. The company will donate materials, including fabrics and blank finished goods, as well as a variety of equipment to help teach students design.
HanesBrands has a longstanding commitment to providing educational assistance and support to expand access and opportunities to underserved communities. In 2020, the company established a two-year, $50,000 annual financial commitment in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) to provide scholarships to freshman students attending HBCUs. Since 1981, HanesBrands has been a corporate partner to Carver High School in Winston-Salem, NC and since 2015, the Urban Dove Team Charter School in Brooklyn, NY.
These new investments support HanesBrands’ commitment to improve the lives of at least 10 million people by 2030 through diversity and inclusion initiatives, health and wellness programs, improved workplace quality, and philanthropic efforts that improve local communities.
HanesBrands strives to make its workplace more diverse and inclusive and provide equal opportunities for associates to reach their full potential. To learn more about HanesBrands’ commitment to people and 2030 goals, visit HBISustains.com.