Asos to drive diversity in partnership with Fashion Minority Report

Online retailer Asos is teaming up with Fashion Minority Report (FMR), a platform aiming to create inclusive workplaces to help inspire the next generation of creatives and drive diversity across the industry.

In a statement, Asos said it will support several of FMR’s projects that help emerging talent from diverse backgrounds explore their creativity and unlock their career potential. This includes FMR’s mentorship programme, with Asos staff volunteering as mentors to provide insight and advice to support students’ career growth. The online retailer has also hired three talented paid placement students into its commercial team, offering practical experience across Asos’ design teams, rotating across departments such as tailoring, jersey and denim.

In addition, Asos has donated 20,000 pounds to support FMR’s work, including its Summer School in London this year: a programme for 14–17-year-old students interested in a career in fashion delivered in collaboration with the Fashion Retail Academy. Across three days of interactive learning and workshops, industry experts shared their knowledge on fashion design, sustainability and upcycling, marketing, visual experience, and fashion partnerships, helping students learn about different aspects of the industry from established professionals, including Asos teams.

Seani Armitage, corporate responsibility manager at ASOS, said: “Driving diversity, equity, and inclusion across every aspect of Asos and the wider sector is fundamental to achieving our purpose of ensuring everyone has the confidence to be whoever they want to be.

“We’re thrilled to be working with FMR as part of our goal to help close the gap between the industry and marginalised and under-represented communities as we work to diversify the fashion sector’s workforces.”

Daniel Peters, founder of Fashion Minority Report, added: “It’s important that we look back on 2020 as the year that the world came together to stop failing marginalised voices. We must commit to moving beyond conversation and implement measurable change that reduces the lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion globally.

“Working with the Asos team has already been an incredibly rewarding experience, allowing us to collectively foster greater representation, diversity, and inclusion for emerging talent from underrepresented communities. I look forward to growing our partnership in the new year.”

The partnership is part of Asos’ commitment to diversity, following targets set within its 2030 Fashion with Integrity goals last year. Under its ‘Be Diverse’ goal, the company pledged to reach over 15 percent ethnic minority representation at every leadership level by 2030.