In a significant step toward community empowerment and sustainable development, UNIQLO has announced the launch of its first-ever skill development initiative in India—the Job Oriented Vocational Training Centre in partnership with Plan International. Located in Dwarka, Delhi, the Saksham Centre aims to equip underprivileged youth aged 18-29 with both technical and life skills to enhance their employability and long-term livelihood opportunities. Funded by a generous donation of 120 million Japanese Yen, equivalent to INR 7 crore, from UNIQLO’s parent company, Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., the three-year project reflects the brand’s LifeWear philosophy and global commitment to making lives better beyond fashion.
The centre offers training in areas such as Retail, Healthcare, Sewing, and essential life skills including digital literacy, financial literacy, workplace communication, and gender equality. As part of the PEACE FOR ALL initiative, the program also emphasizes active employee engagement through mentorship and internship opportunities.
In this exclusive interview, Kenji Inoue, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of UNIQLO India, shares insights into the vision, strategic alignment, and anticipated impact of this flagship social initiative:
Q. What inspired UNIQLO to launch its first community skill center project in India, and why was Plan International chosen as a partner?
A. At UNIQLO, we are driven by our LifeWear philosophy, which aims to make life better for everyone. This is expressed not only through our clothing, but also through our global sustainability and community engagement initiatives that prioritize people, the planet, and society. Our partnership with Plan International on the new Job Oriented Vocational Training Centre is one such example. Plan International is one of our trusted NGO partners with whom we work with on the PEACE FOR ALL initiative on development projects around the world.
Q. How does this initiative align with UNIQLO’s broader CSR and community engagement strategy in India?
A. Our partnership with Plan International on the Job Oriented Vocational Training Centre is part of UNIQLO’s broader global commitment to sustainability and community engagement. This project allows us to invest in India’s economic prosperity and equips underprivileged youth with the skills they need to succeed in the workforce. It reflects our dedication to making life better for everyone, not just through our clothing but through impactful social initiatives
Q. What key skills and training modules will the skill center offer, and how were these selected to ensure relevance in today’s job market?
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A. The skill center will offer a range of training modules that focus on both technical and life skills. These include General Duty Assistant, Retail Trainee Associate, Sewing Machine Operator, and critical life skills such as Digital and Financial Literacy, Gender Equality and Diversity, and Workplace Communication. These modules were selected in consultation with industry experts to ensure that the skills taught are relevant to the current job market. We understand that today’s economy is constantly evolving, so we have designed a curriculum that equips young people with practical, job-ready skills.
Q. The announcement mentions your plans to go beyond financial investments and playing a more active role through employee mentorship, internships, and job placements- how are you planning to integrate these elements as the project progresses?
A. UNIQLO employees will actively contribute to the initiative by sharing their expertise and offering mentorship to students. Our employees will visit the center, providing guidance and supporting participants, which means that we will remain personally involved with the project, working closely with Plan International. We are also exploring internship opportunities at our stores and facilities for some participants of the program, to give them hands-on industry experience.
Q. How will the impact of this project be measured, and are there any plans to expand similar initiatives in other parts of India?
A. Along with Plan International, we will measure the impact of this project through several metrics, including the number of participants trained, their success in securing employment/entrepreneurship opportunities, and the overall improvement in their quality of life. Plan International’s deep expertise in working at grassroots level with the underprivileged community will help us to assess the project's impact on the Saksham trainees and their families, and to ensure that we are making a lasting difference in the lives of young people.
While this initiative is currently focused in Delhi, we are always exploring opportunities to expand and reach more communities. The success of the Job Oriented Vocational Training Centre in Delhi will provide insights that will guide any future expansion plans.
Q. This project comes under UNIQLO PEACE FOR ALL Initiative. Could you tell us more about the vision, scope and scale of this initiative?
A. Our PEACE FOR ALL initiative is the source of our donation to Plan International that funds this skill centre project. Through PEACE FOR ALL, all profits from the sales of UNIQLO’s charity T-shirts are donated to international aid organizations, which in turn use the funds for targeted development projects globally. So far, this initiative has raised over US$12 million over two-and-a-half years, and we will continue to raise donations for other projects such as the Job Oriented Vocational Training Centre, all around the world.
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Q. What kind of projects has UNIQLO undertaken in other countries under PEACE FOR ALL initiative? Were there any learnings from these projects that informed your strategies in India?
A. To date, donations through the PEACE FOR ALL initiative have been used by our three international aid partners – UNHCR- the UN agency for refugees, Plan International, and Save the Children – on a wide range of projects around the globe. These projects include support for refugees, emergency aid, food assistance, education projects, and more. We work with well-established NGOs who are very familiar with local conditions and needs, allowing us to provide support where it will have the most impact.
Q. What are the other major social projects that you have undertaken in India? How are they progressing?
A. We are excited to launch the Job Oriented Vocational Training Centre with Plan International as our first ongoing social project in India. Previously, we have undertaken one-off donations, including our donation of masks and innerwear to Indian hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Q. UNIQLO has already made a significant footprint in the Indian market. How do you see your social initiatives evolving as the business grows and the corpus for social projects increases?
A. Since entering the Indian market in October 2019, we have received a very positive response from Indian customers, both at our stores and on our e-commerce platform. We see tremendous potential to continue to grow along with the community. As our business grows in India, we will also increase our social contributions, including through the continuation and expansion of impactful projects such as the vocational training centre.
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