PEOPLE

HanesBrands Recognized Globally as Finalist in XXI CODESPA Awards for Latin America Program Supporting School-Aged Youth in Situations of Social Risk

January 2022

Hanes Community Schools in El Salvador, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic Advances Company Commitment to Improve the Lives of 10 million people by 2030.

WINSTON-SALEM, NC (JAN 2022) – HanesBrands (HBI) has been recognized as a finalist in the Solidarity Company category of the XXI CODESPA Awards from the CODESPA International Foundation.

During the award ceremony held in Madrid in January, H.M. King Felipe VI recognized the company for its Hanes Community Schools project, which provides support for school children in the communities near Hanes’ facilities in Central America and the Caribbean through development and recreation clubs.

The Hanes Community Schools project began in 2009 in El Salvador, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic in partnership with Glasswing International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a more integrated society. This alliance has been working for more than a decade and has connected more than 8,000 at-risk youth at 12 schools total with nearly 3,000 volunteers, mainly Hanes associates, who have become positive role models within communities.

“We’re proud of this recognition and proud of the thousands of HanesBrands Associates who have volunteered to make a difference in the lives of children in our communities,” said Christopher Fox, Chief Sustainability Officer at HanesBrands. “The recognition from CODESPA shows the potential that this model has to combat poverty and to help create opportunities in communities around the world.”

One of the main goals of this program is to keep students in school throughout the day, reducing the dropout rate and increasing children’s exposure to new creative, athletic, and academic experiences. The program consists of extracurricular clubs for students in subjects including art, English, journalism, and public speaking, as well as dancing and singing, all managed by volunteers from Hanes.

During the ceremony, the King of Spain referred to the work of CODESPA as an engine of economic development for those with the greatest disadvantages: “Again, I want to thank and recognize all of this work, on behalf of everyone, especially the thousands of beneficiaries in various parts of the world (today in 11 countries); men, women, families, neighborhoods and small towns, and emergent and transformative businesses, who have seen hope materialize from your hands.” 

CODESPA is an International NGO that promotes sustainable and lasting solutions to address the causes of extreme poverty in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Its actions combine the vision of the local communities, the proven experience of professional technicians, and the contribution of the public and private sectors since 1985.