Riopele values its employees

"With the aim of contributing to the improvement of the social situation of a large part of its workforce, the Board of Directors of Riopele approved a new salary update with effect from 1st December, specifically affecting the Christmas bonus, raising the base monthly salary of workers, when lower, to 840 euros. Previously, in July, Riopele had decreed a 70% increase in meal subsidies.

For Riopele, 'despite the currently adverse conjuncture, with most major external markets in anemic situations,' it is important to invest 'continuously in the development of human resources, in order to have more and better individual skills and better teams.'

The company from Vila Nova Famalicão is also undergoing a strong investment programme in critical areas such as energy efficiency, information systems, R&D, and decarbonisation.

Winning bet on training

Simultaneously, Riopele has an ambitious training programme underway. In 2023, the number of hours of training provided surpassed the 50,000-hour mark. Compared to the previous year, the training period almost doubled.

Management, productive innovation, information systems, behavioural and organisational development, languages, and sustainability are the areas identified by Riopele and, for that reason, are the subject of specific training plans.

It is noteworthy that Riopele provides employees with participation in external training actions, including executive training programmes, as well as internal training actions. For example, 66 company executives participated for three months in an executive programme at Porto Business School.

For Riopele, 'people are a strategic pillar.' The company has managed to attract a new generation of talent. Currently, the average age of workers is 41 years old, one of the lowest in the entire fashion industry in Portugal. It is noted that 22% of workers are under 30 years old. Similarly, the number of graduates currently stands at over 12% of the total company workforce.

As a result of the adopted strategic choice, Riopele's industrial efficiency increased by 5 percentage points.