H&M HAS launched its first ever STEM programme in the United Kingdom.
The company has said it is committed to furthering the STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) field while driving forward sustainable fashion solutions.
The brand’s first STEM initiative aims to inspire women and non-binary people to reach for roles in STEM.
The programme will launch this month in the UK, in partnership with not-for-profit charity Stemettes.
H&M has said the focus of the programme will be ‘sustainability and style’, with participants exploring STEM’s contribution to a more sustainable fashion future.
This will be done through a panel and networking event, a hackathon and one-to-one mentoring by H&M’s STEM role models who come from a range of fields including artificial intelligence, customer centric technology, assortment and product development.
H&M have said the programme marks a key step in their aim of becoming a more inclusive and diverse business.
They have said that they hope to positively impact communities by investing in young women and non-binary people, building new connections and focusing on issues that affect diversity and inclusion within STEM.
H&M’s partnership with Stemettes in the UK will be followed by a series of STEM programmes being rolled out around the world by H&M Group.
Kirsty Finn-Murphy, H&M UK & IE Country HR Manager, said: “Our ambition within H&M is to promote equity, diversity and inclusion for all our colleagues and customers.
“This is the reason we’re excited to collaborate with Stemettes – a social enterprise working to inspire and support young women and non-binary people in STEM.
“We believe our H&M role models collaborating with these young talents will inspire them to choose a career within STEM.”
Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, CEO and Co-Founder of Stemettes, said: “STEM skills are needed for so many jobs today, and are needed for the jobs that are creating the future.
“We’re excited to be working with H&M to bring these career opportunities to the masses.
“We have a duty to show the sustainability, creativity and teamwork at play in the fashion industry – all skills which are much needed in the next generation of innovators who will build and lead the future.”
