Australian bank Westpac to include corporate hijab as part of new staff uniform line-up

Australian bank Westpac has joined in a growing trend of companies expanding their work wear to accommodate the Muslim headgear by engaging fashion queen Carla Zampatti to design its first corporate hijab.

NewsCorp reported on Tuesday that the Australian designer Zampatti will design the corporate hijab which will be included in the bank's new uniform line-up set to be released next April.

The move comes after several other Australian organizations, such as the Commonwealth Bank and Optus have, included the hijab in their staff uniforms.

Westpac's new hijab will include the bank's logo and is part of a push to ensure diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace, a bank spokeswoman said.

"As part of our new corporate wardrobe, we've designed a navy-blue hijab with a charcoal Westpac 'W' logo which blends beautifully with the broader uniform," the spokeswoman said.

"This is another way we can show our support for our people and ensure they feel great at work," she added.

Connie Wehbe, who works at Westpac's Bankstown branch in Sydney, has welcomed the move.

"I enjoy wearing a hijab to work as it helps others understand my culture and get to know me better," Wehbe said.

"The new branded hijabs will show Westpac recognizes and accepts different cultures and I'm looking forward to wearing it as part of my uniform," she said.

Tarik Houchar, the owner of the Australian company and leading international brand Hijab House, applauded Westpac for taking "the step to include the hijab in their uniform, considering hijabs in most company uniforms are usually disheveled and mismatched."

"There may be some backlash, but people must understand that the hijab is just a simple piece of cloth, and it shouldn't be feared or misinterpreted," Houchar said.

"Westpac just wants its teams to look more cohesive," he said. Endit