Yesterday it was announced that a new agreement – which builds on the Bangladesh Accord’s progress – has been reached after negotiations with international textile brands and trade unions.
The new pact, called the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry, is a legally binding agreement between companies and trade unions to make Ready-Made Garment and textile factories safer for the workers who make our clothes.
The agreement places an emphasis on freedom of association, increased transparency, access to remedy through a comprehensive complaints mechanism, and Safety Committee training and worker awareness programs. Notably, the new agreement features a commitment to expand the work of the International Accord to other countries.
Fair Wear country manager for Bangladesh Koen Oosterom notes that ‘the Accord has made tremendous achievements in making factories in Bangladesh safer and we are therefore pleased that brands and global unions were able to reach an agreement that aims to sustain and expand these efforts’. Koen adds that ‘as the Accord in Bangladesh has transitioned into the RSC, it is important that the Accord seeks active collaboration with the BGMEA/BKMEA to ensure employers are on board and it can effectively support the RSC in Bangladesh to continue its important work’.
Bablur Rahman, Fair Wear’s country representative for Bangladesh notes that ‘the international Accord will support the Bangladeshi RMG industry to continue its progress towards a more sustainable industry. It has already proven itself in this regard by investing a lot in safety improvements and by establishing some world-class factories.’
For more information on the new agreement and to read the document in its entirety, click here.