By: Catherine Chiu, Vice President, Corporate Quality and Sustainability Department, Crystal International Group Ltd.

Article key points: 

• Crystal International Group Limited, one of the world’s largest garment manufacturers, has established and met its own ambitious targets for social and environmental responsibility over the last 17 years.
• Crystal International first implemented its Personal Advancement and Career Enhancement (PACE) program in 2013 to unlock the potential of female employees, equipping them with life skills and career development opportunities.
• PACE training modules include communication skills, financial management, time and stress management, problem-solving, and more, which create positive impacts both at work and home.
• During the pandemic, Crystal International developed a digital version of PACE (e-PACE) to extend the program’s reach. 
• The company has empowered over 70,000 female employees globally to date.
• Crystal Sustainability Vision 2030 continues to prioritize employee empowerment as part of its eight impact areas aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals.

As the Vice President of Corporate Quality and Sustainability at Crystal International Group, I’ve witnessed firsthand how strategic supply chain initiatives can transform not only our business but also the well-being of the people who form the backbone of our industry. Our company is one of the world’s largest garment manufacturers, with 26 factories globally. We believe it’s our responsibility to operate a resilient and responsible business—one that supports our workers and makes the most of innovation to consistently improve our performance and the impact we have on people and the environment. 

Our commitment to an ethical and sustainable supply chain dates back to 2007, and we took our ability to measure our progress toward our goals to an even higher level in 2013 when we first piloted the Higg Facilities Environmental Module (FEM). By 2018, we had fully adopted the FEM through partnering with Worldly to gain deep insights into our environmental impact data.

Over the last nearly-two-decades we have set and achieved ambitious targets for environmental sustainability such as significant carbon and water savings, along with planting 3 million trees at the locations where our manufacturing plants operate. 

It’s not just about environmental impact, however. We are equally focused on improving the planet, people, and communities—all of which play a vital role in our long-term success both as a company and as members of the global community. This is why empowering women became a key part of our overall focus as a business and aligns perfectly with our mission to make a positive impact. 

Why we focus on female empowerment

In our global operations, women comprise more than 70 percent of our workforce. Despite their large presence, many women struggle with lower positions in society compared to their male counterparts, particularly in emerging countries. As a responsible employer, we recognized the need to unlock these women’s potential and help them grow with us—not just for business success, but as a fundamental commitment to our workers. This realization led us to look for a structured program that could make a meaningful difference in the lives of our female employees. 

The PACE Program: A comprehensive approach to personal and professional development for women 

Just as we were starting our search for a program to help empower our female workforce, one of our customers created a curriculum and was looking to pilot it with a supplier in an Asian country. We jumped at the opportunity, and our journey with PACE began in 2013. 

We started with 15 trainers who were equipped through a Training of Trainers (TOT) program. Then, we selected 150 workers from different production lines to participate in the training, which took approximately six to nine months to complete.

The PACE curriculum includes modules that address both workplace and personal needs. Participants learn communication skills, financial management, time and stress management, problem-solving, and decision-making. The program also covers principles of excellent execution, which emphasizes consistent, high-quality performance at every level. 

Further topics include those that are particularly applicable to women in our global communities like fresh water conservation and education on topics of reproductive health, exercise, and nutrition. For women in these communities, the PACE program may be their first exposure to this type of essential health and wellness information. 

This comprehensive and holistic approach ensures development in both professional capabilities and personal well-being, and it’s what makes this program truly transformative. Rather than focusing solely on job-related skills, PACE equips women with life skills that benefit them in all aspects of their lives to feel fulfilled and grow to their fullest potentials.

Creating a win-win for women and the business

After implementing PACE, we observed remarkable positive outcomes that created a win-win situation for both our female workers and our company.

For the women, the benefits extended far beyond the factory floor. Graduates of the program demonstrated greater positivity in their outlook and actions, improved communication with peers, supervisors, and family members, and expanded circles of influence. They experienced reduced conflicts both at work and at home, and developed better personal financial management skills, creating more stability in their personal lives.

For Crystal International, the impact was equally valuable. We saw a more cohesive working environment as participants established a more positive corporate culture throughout our facilities. The program contributed to enhanced operational efficiency, improved employee relationships, and greater workplace harmony—all critical factors for business success.

These benefits were so significant that we expanded the program in 2015 to our other factories, and set an ambitious target to empower 40,000 female workers globally through this initiative.

PACE goes digital for greater impact

Despite the program’s success, we faced a challenge of scale. In a factory of 2,000 workers, traditional face-to-face training could only reach about 200 employees per year, meaning it would take a decade to train the entire workforce.

As the COVID-19 pandemic pushed us to innovate, we solved this problem. We developed a digital version we call “ePACE” which allowed us to:

• Increase coverage significantly
• Extend the program to regions with limited training resources
• Reach our subcontractors
• Scale the program more quickly

Through these combined efforts, we’ve now successfully empowered more than 70,000 female workers globally. Building on the foundation of PACE and integrating other in-house and customer-required programs, we developed our own comprehensive Crystal CARE program (Crystal Advocates Respect Engagement), further extending our commitment to worker empowerment.

Career advancement for PACE graduates

While PACE primarily focuses on personal development and life skills, we’ve seen impressive examples of career advancement among participants. One remarkable success story comes from Sri Lanka, where an employee who completed the program was promoted to Senior QA Manager, taking responsibility for quality assurance across six factories in the country.

To further support career progression, we developed the one-year Rainbow Program for PACE graduates in one of our denim factories, preparing employees for higher-level responsibilities as line leaders or supervisors.

I must acknowledge that only about five percent of female employees choose to advance to higher-level positions. Our surveys indicate that while many workers value the training, not all desire to take on supervisory or management roles with increased responsibilities. This reminds us that empowerment isn’t solely about career advancement. It’s equally about giving women the skills and confidence to make their own choices about their lives and careers, and providing the infrastructure so they may care for themselves and their families as they grow professionally.

For those who do seek leadership roles, we offer additional programs like our Women Leadership Program for supervisors, often in collaboration with our brand partners.

Crystal Sustainability Vision 2030

Building on 17 years of sustainability efforts, we are now advancing toward our Crystal Sustainability Vision 2030, which aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This vision encompasses eight impact areas across environmental, social, and community dimensions:

• Climate 
• Circularity
• Water stewardship
• Biodiversity
• Employee wellness
• Equity
• Employee engagement
• Community Partnerships

To meet our 2030 benchmarks, we continue to use Worldly to collect data and achieve insights across many of these areas. At the same time, employee empowerment, particularly for women through our PACE program, remains central to this vision as we continue to expand our impact.

Sustainability is not just about the environment

Our journey with PACE and female empowerment demonstrates that sustainability isn’t just about environmental considerations. It is equally about social responsibility and creating positive impacts for the people who make our business possible.

At Crystal International, we’re committed to doing more and contributing positively to the planet, people, and communities through the power of garment manufacturing. By unlocking the potential of our female workforce, we’re not only building a more sustainable business but also supporting the development of more equitable societies in the regions where we operate.

The success of programs like PACE proves that when businesses invest in people, especially those traditionally underrepresented in leadership roles, everyone benefits, from workers to their families, the company, our communities, and ultimately, the future of our planet.