Inditex is committed to doubling the number of employees with disabilities by 2025.

It is endorsing the ILO Global Business and Disability Network, a unique worldwide network created to promote disability inclusion in the workplace. And the fast fashion retailer has agreed to give Spanish shop workers a 20 per cent rise in wages.

Wage increases will cost Inditex about 9.7 per cent of its operating costs. Since wages for shop workers are very low in some places in Spain, Inditex hopes it will set a precedent for other retail chains.

Inditex owns eight brands in Spain including Zara, Massimo Dutti, Pull & Bear and Bershka. The company employs 1,65,000 people in 177 countries, a third of which are based in Spain. Inditex has already set itself apart from some rivals by passing on a larger chunk of rising costs, and it is expected to continue raising prices. It is speculated that this move will pressure other fashion retailers to follow suit in order to retain young talent in challenging labour markets. However, pay rises without triggering further inflation could prove tricky for businesses.

Consumer prices in Spain rose 5.8 per cent year on year in December 2022 while average annual inflation was 8.4 per cent, which is the highest it has spiked since 1986.