We furthermore set up an internal I&D collaborative forum to gather colleagues across our organisation, from business functions and brands, to share knowledge, practice, and challenges, to support the implementation of our I&D strategy. Several major initiatives continued and were intensified in 2020 – we rolled out mandatory trainings on inclusion and diversity for thousands of people across the company. We have been working hard on our commitments and will continue to share our progress and achievements, as well as about the challenges ahead. In 2020, we prioritized to map and analyse the diversity we have within our teams to date, to listen and understand local context and to set meaningful goals and relevant actions to secure positive and systemic change. For a country with food safety issues, halal adds an extra level of credibility and the benefits of selling to China’s huge market.This is why H&M Group increased the priority of inclusion and diversity in 2020 and for the coming years. So why not take a look at China? I recently turned up halal-certified Kit Kat chocolate bars and Oreo cookies among a range of products during a quick survey of supermarket shelves in Shanghai. It’s become an emotional topic and many brand owners would be keen to promote their products in another way, such as emphasizing the higher level of checks imposed on ingredients. I heard many speakers in Kuala Lumpur worry that the idea of ‘halal’ has branding challenges in the non-Muslim world. The challenges of halal in the non-Muslim world Hotels are rated on their quality and service, but they also receive a rating on other features, such as whether they are located near mosques or halal restaurants. It shares similarities with, but it specifically targets Muslims. But the convergence with digital technologies will change the way millions of increasingly affluent Muslim families book their holidays. The surge in visitors to Malaysia and Turkey, for instance, has been a major opportunity for over a decade. The Muslim travel market isn’t a new story. The Muslim travel market is both a digital and marketing play Marketing campaigns now specifically target this segment. The global brand owner, Johnson & Johnson, has always enjoyed a New Year sales bump, but also noticed a Ramadan sales bump as Muslims used the patches to stop smoking during the month-long fast. My favorite example is Nicorette, a popular brand of nicotine patches. It’s as important to recognize that Muslim consumers shop at different times and for different reasons, even if they are ultimately buying the same goods and services. “We don’t do halal” is a common response when asked whether a company might target the Muslim consumer. It’s about marketing strategies, not just halal

Muslim consumer group