Riopele has been singled out as the most attractive textile company to work for in Portugal and is currently investing €3.3 million in further training its staff under the Competitiveness Clusters Capacity Building programne.

At a time when the scarcity of talent is increasingly a challenge for organisations, Randstad Employer Brand Research investigated the 150 largest employers in Portugal, to identify in which criteria the companies are best perceived and which sectors are the most appealing to work in.

In the fashion industry sector, Gabor and Ecco, two companies from the footwear sector with foreign capital, took first and second place respectively, with Riopele third.

“We are the only textile company on the list, which is a very significant result,” said Riopele’s head of human resources Cláudia Queirós. “A relevant aspect about this study is that it is directed at the general population, at national level, so it is natural that companies working directly for the final consumer are better known to the general public than companies producing for other brands, as is the case with Riopele. This distinction shows that even in a period of great demand in terms of hiring, Riopele continues to be an attractive company to work for. It is recognised as a reliable company, and committed to the development of people.”

“With the new training programme, the company is aiming to adapt the knowledge and skills of its professionals to new technological needs at both operational and organisational levels,” added José Alexandre Oliveira, chairman of Riopele.

The number of Riopele employees has increased by over 20% in the last decade, reaching 1,083.

In terms of human resources, one of the biggest bets has been made on the R&D department. Currently, over a hundred professionals invest in the development of new solutions for international clients. More than 95% of the company’s sales are directed towards these clients.

“This investment in human resources will be decisive for us to achieve the ambitious goal of 80% of Riopele products having a sustainable basis by 2025,” Oliveira said.

Cláudia Queirós argues that “new strategies and new approaches to attracting and retaining people are currently required”. This is, in fact, “one of the great challenges for companies and for the industry in particular”. For this reason, “Riopele's focus will be on the development of people and, to this end, a very ambitious training program is already underway that will enable us to strengthen the skills of all employees. “We will develop new strategies in the area of Health and Well-Being, so that Riopele may be considered an increasingly healthy company”, reinforces the head of Human Resources at Riopele.

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