Penneys Announces WorkEqual Partnership
2nd October 2023
Penneys has announced a new three-year partnership with WorkEqual, who support people across Ireland to enter or re-enter the workplace and reach sustained economic independence. The partnership will see the international fashion retailer provide €300,000 in supports to help WorkEqual deliver its services nationally, bringing their coaching, career development and styling services into communities across Ireland.
On top of this, Penneys will partner with WorkEqual to offer personalised styling sessions and confidence-building workshops, which will take place in its international headquarters in Dublin as well as in Penneys stores around the country. In addition, Penneys employees will be able to volunteer with WorkEqual to help deliver the events and share their expertise across a variety of topics, such as fashion, people services and retail.
Founded by Sonya Lennon, WorkEqual (formerly known as Dress for Success) is a social enterprise whose mission is to provide innovative, targeted services and programmes, and advocate on behalf of people entering and re-entering the workplace to reach sustained economic independence. WorkEqual help to boost their clients’ confidence through styling sessions and empower them to progress in their careers through mentoring, CV workshops and interview preparation.
As an organisation that champions communities, and takes pride in helping women to feel confident, Penneys chose to partner with WorkEqual to drive positive change for women across the country, which aligns with its own mission of providing affordable fashion for everyone. The three-year partnership follows a pilot initiative earlier this year on International Women’s Day, when Penneys hosted a confidence building and upskilling event with WorkEqual for a group of 19 women at the company’s international headquarters in Arthur Ryan House in Dublin.
Commenting about the partnership, Lorraine Culligan, Group Director of People and Culture at Primark, said: “At Penneys, we help women to look and feel good through fashion that is affordable and accessible.
Supporting women through all of life’s stages is something we care deeply about, whether that’s our colleagues, customers or communities. As part of that we want to support organisations that champion inclusion as well as making a positive impact in our community.
So, it was a natural fit to partner with WorkEqual as together we can help their services reach even more women across Ireland.”
Sonya Lennon, founder of WorkEqual, added: “This partnership with Penneys transforms WorkEqual’s ability to deliver on our mission of empowering progress across Ireland. As a fashion retailer that welcomes everyone, we know that Penneys is the perfect partner to help us build confidence and job readiness in our shared clients. Supporting those who need it most to secure sustainable employment is something we can now do at scale through Penneys’ Irish store network.”
Penneys is committed to supporting women today, tomorrow and always. The retailer has launched several collections which offers products designed to address the life events that women experience, from puberty right through to menopause, that aren’t typically affordable or available on the high street. Products include period underwear designed as an alternative to single-use products, a menopause range designed with anti-flush technology, odour and temperature control, and leak-proof bras that are designed to support women throughout pregnancy and post-partum by controlling leaks and keeping clothing and the body dry. Penneys also offer product ranges for women who are going through breast cancer, helping them through treatment and recovery.
Penneys has also launched its latest Breast Cancer Awareness collection, which is now available in stores nationwide. For more information about the collection, visit here
