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For every US$1 invested in women’s health, one Bangladeshi factory saw a US$3 return through higher productivity, lower turnover and reduced absenteeism

The Business Case for Investing in Women’s Health in Factories

Investing in worker health is more than a moral imperative—there’s a compelling business case for the investment.

Extending Service Delivery* (ESD), a USAID initiative and BSR project partner, carried out factory-based ROI research (PDF, 284 KB) in a Bangladeshi factory and found:

  • Improved worker health leads to a reduction in absenteeism due
  • Improved worker health positively impacts productivity
  • In the longer term, improved worker health contributes to reduced turnover rates

Employee engagement on health topics also leads to other less measurable benefits, like increased motivation and loyalty, thanks to a perception that the factory management is more responsible.

* Due to funding restrictions, ESD is unable to facilitate ROI studies in China.

HERproject Return on Investment (ROI) How To