Workers Rights & Ethics
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Aug 13, 2018Survey suggests lack of RMG worker longevity
DHAKA – According to new research, just under 90 per cent of workers in the Bangladesh ready-made garment sector are below 30, with many people over this age citing excessive workloads as the reason for moving away from the industry. Read More -
Aug 07, 2018Esprit and IndustriALL unite for workers’ rights
GENEVA – IndustriALL Global Union, the organisation which represents garment workers from across the world, has signed a global framework agreement with fashion brand Esprit which signals a commitment to protect and promote the human rights of… Read More -
Aug 01, 2018Levi’s, Tesco join Green Supply Chain Map
BEIJING – Levi’s and Tesco have become the latest brands to join the Green Supply Chain Map; a publicly available online transparency tool that ties companies to their suppliers’ environmental performance in China. Developed by the Natural Resources… Read More -
Jul 31, 2018Levi’s sets ambitious GHG targets
SAN FRANCISCO - Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) has set aggressive targets for reducing carbon emissions in an ambitious new climate action strategy, which sets out aims for the company use 100 per cent renewable electricity in its owned-and-operated… Read More -
Jul 31, 2018Bangladesh on board with ILO’s Decent Work Programme
DHAKA – The Bangladeshi government, along with many of the country’s employers and worker's organisations have today signed on to the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) latest Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) which will run until 2020.… Read More -
Jul 30, 2018Japan NGO aims for transparent supply chains
TOKYO – A new NGO has been set up in Japan that aims to help both local and international apparel firms to identify supply chain problems and is already working with global textile firms Teijin, Mitsui Fashion, as well the AEON Group which is the… Read More -
Jul 25, 2018OIA releases inaugural industry sustainability report
DENVER – Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) has published the first-of-its-kind State of Sustainability in the Outdoor Industry report, in which it surveyed 120 companies from the outdoor sector to build a quantifiable picture of the efforts… Read More -
Jul 23, 2018
Alliance Helpline broadens scope with independent management
DHAKA – The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety has announced that its 24-hour, first-of-its-kind worker helpline will transition from part of their operations to an external and independent initiative which has the capacity to expand its… Read More -
Jul 20, 2018NGO ‘condemns’ latest BGMEA wage proposal
AMSTERDAM – Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) has spoken out regarding the ongoing wrangling in Bangladesh regarding a proposed increase to the minimum monthly wage received by garment workers. This latest development caps off a week a turbulent week in… Read More -
Jul 19, 2018Primark unveils UNICEF partnership
DUBLIN – High street fashion retailer Primark has announced a three-year partnership with UNICEF which will see the organisations collaborate on work relating to education and emergency response. In total, Primark has confirmed it will commit US$… Read More -
Jul 18, 2018Protests expected as Bangladesh wage proposal rejected
DHAKA – At an industry press briefing, representatives of Bangladeshi garment workers have rejected the latest proposals from factory bosses as the wrangle regarding an increase to the nation’s minimum wage continues. The most recent proposed… Read More -
Jul 17, 2018Bangladesh factory bosses offer minimum wage compromise
DHAKA – After a long-running debate between unions and factory owners, there has finally been a slight breakthrough in the stalemate over an increase to the minimum monthly wage currently in place for Bangladeshi garment workers. Latest reports in… Read More -
Jul 12, 2018Automation predicted to increase labour abuses
BATH – Drastic job losses in South East Asia resulting from the onset of automation are predicted to produce a spike in slavery and labour abuses in global supply chains unless governments take action, according to a new report from risk analysis… Read More -
Jul 09, 2018NGO support for higher Bangladesh minimum wage
AMSTERDAM - To coincide with this weekend's National Minimum Wage Board meeting, NGOs including Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) have declared their support for the immediate implementation of an increase to the minimum wage for garment workers in… Read More -
Jul 03, 2018Bangladesh Alliance announces worker safety progress
DHAKA – The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety has today announced that an additional 18 affiliated factories completed all material components outlined in their Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) during the month of June. This progress means that a… Read More -
Jun 22, 2018
Bangladesh government issues factory closure warning
DHAKA – The government of Bangladesh has warned garment factory owners that non-compliance regarding its deadline of December for remediation work to be undertaken will result in factory closures. This has provided the strongest statement to date… Read More -
Jun 21, 2018C&A Foundation Annual Report issues call to action
ZUG – The C&A Foundation has today released its fifth annual report and, in doing so, not only highlighted the progress made by the organisation across the last twelve months but also called on the wider apparel industry to do more. Transparency and… Read More -
Jun 18, 2018Child labour in agriculture is rising, says UN body
ROME – Following years of concerted efforts to ensure the decline of child labour in the agricultural sector, the problem is now on the rise once again according to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). Driven by… Read More -
Jun 13, 2018Non-profit gives voice to Bangladesh garment workers
STOCKHOLM – Swedish non-profit Swedwatch has published a report exploring the perspectives of workers and buyers in the Bangladeshi garment sector regarding the ‘social dialogue’ which was supposed to have been established post-Rana Plaza. The Power… Read More -
Jun 11, 2018Nike and Adidas urged to tackle ‘poverty wages’
AMSTERDAM – Sportswear giants Adidas and Nike have been accused of paying thousands of workers in their supply chains ‘poverty wages’ in a new report released to coincide with the start of the FIFA World Cup. The Foul Play report, conducted by Clean… Read More -
Jun 08, 2018Human Rights Update for M&S supply chain
LONDON – Hot on the heels of its annual Plan A report having been released, M&S has published a 2017/18 Human Rights Update which for the first time has sustainability integrated within its remit. The company says this reflects its belief that… Read More -
Jun 08, 2018GLJ hails ‘historic time’ for female garment workers
WASHINGTON – Following the announcement from H&M and Gap that they would investigate allegations made regarding violence and sexual abuse in both companies’ supply chains, it has now been reported that the retailers have also declared support for an… Read More -
Jun 06, 2018Gap and H&M vow to investigate alleged supply chain abuse
LONDON – Global apparel firms, Gap Inc. and H&M have pledged to investigate allegations made following research into violence and sexual abuse in both companies’ supply chains having been published. The two reports in question took several years to… Read More -
Jun 05, 2018Mostafiz Uddin: The power of one
COPENHAGEN – Despite the commonly held belief that there is strength in numbers, Mostafiz Uddin is convinced that when it comes to textile certifications, regulations and compliance one is all that is required. The managing director of Denim Expert… Read More -
Jun 04, 2018IKEA chooses own harmonised standard over Bangladesh Accord
LEIDEN – Home furnishings giant, IKEA has explained its decision not sign on to the 2018 extension of the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh despite sourcing many of the materials for its textile products from the nation. The Swedish… Read More -
Jun 04, 2018Cotton Campaign makes case for Uzbek labour reform
WASHINGTON – A delegation of representatives from Cotton Campaign have presented the findings of its research and recommendations on how to counteract forced labour in the cotton sector to Uzbek government officials. The meeting took place in the… Read More -
Jun 01, 2018
Gender-based violence alleged in Gap, H&M supply chains
AMSTERDAM – Two reports regarding the prevalence of gender-based violence in the supply chains of Gap and H&M have been published by a coalition of global trade unions and human rights organisations. This new research highlights issues including… Read More -
Jun 01, 2018Minister says Accord, Alliance should end this year
DHAKA – Bangladesh Minister for Commerce, Tofail Ahmed has cast further doubt over the future of the Bangladesh Accord on fire and building safety as he claimed that neither it, nor the Alliance, were likely to receive an extension beyond December… Read More -
May 24, 2018Campaigners back US decision to ban imports of forced labour Turkmenistan cotton
WASHINGTON – Human rights organisation, the Cotton Campaign, has welcomed the decision of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to issue a ‘Withhold Release Order’ (WRO), formally banning the importation of all Turkmenistan cotton or products… Read More -
May 24, 2018Better Buying launches benchmark report
DELAWARE - Better Buying, the industry initiative which allows textile and apparel suppliers the ability to anonymously rate their customers, has launched the Better Buying Purchasing Practices Index (BBPPI) and its first benchmark report designed… Read More -
May 23, 2018Outdoor group supports sustainability charter
The Scandinavian Outdoor Group (SOG) has announced that it has signed up to support the European Outdoor Group (EOG) Sustainability Charter. The charter sets out an understanding of good corporate citizenship and responsibility and articulates… Read More -
May 23, 2018New project aims to produce more sustainable fibres and plastics
TRENTO – Aquafil, a producer of polyamide 6 (nylon 6), and bioengineering company Genomatica have announced the formation of ‘Project EFFECTIVE’, which is claimed to be a multi-company collaboration to produce more sustainable fibres and plastics… Read More -
May 23, 2018Open access database to be enhanced with textiles case studies
Circle Lab, the online open access innovation platform where the circular economy is being explored and implemented, has today introduced a new product feature in the shape of what it claims to be ‘the world’s biggest circular economy database,… Read More -
May 21, 2018CanopyStyle audit expels Sateri suppliers
VANCOUVER - Environmental not-for-profits Canopy and the Rainforest Alliance, together with global viscose producer Sateri, have released the independent verification audit results of Sateri’s pulp sourcing practices, a process that uses a… Read More -
May 21, 2018Trade unions and Accord receive a boost in Bangladesh
DHAKA - The Bangladeshi government has announced a relaxation of its trade union regulatory policy, a landmark move which could translate into major progress for garment workers in the nation regarding the receipt of support and guidance in… Read More -
May 08, 2018Vaude top of the class in FWF Brand Performance Check
TETTNANG – The latest results of the Fair Wear Foundation’s (FWF) annual Brand Performance Check have been announced, with its findings positioning German outdoor specialist, Vaude as the highest ranked organisation according to its criteria. To… Read More -
May 08, 2018Oxfam calls on Myer to end textile ‘poverty wages’
MELBOURNE – Oxfam Australia has launched a campaign seeking 10,000 signatories to support a petition aimed at ensuring Australian department store chain, Myer pays textile workers a fair wage. The charity claims the retailer “lags well behind in… Read More -
May 02, 2018US apparel brands challenged on Jordan migrant workers
LONDON – A UK organisation that aims to advance human rights in business has released a report today which claims that many US apparel brands have chosen to avoid a survey it distributed regarding the safeguarding of migrant workers in the buoyant… Read More -
May 01, 2018Clean Clothes Campaign intensifies H&M living wage pressure
AMSTERDAM – Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) has today launched an online platform aimed at increasing the pressure on H&M to change course in order to action the living wage pledge it made back in 2013. This follows last month’s exchange between the… Read More -
Apr 30, 2018Hugo Boss outlines UN SDG contribution targets
METZINGEN – Fashion brand, Hugo Boss has outlined its commitment to the successful implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the 2017 edition of its annual Sustainability Report. The firm has identified five of the 17… Read More -
Apr 30, 2018New safety guidelines to protect Myanmar workers
NAYPYIDAW – New guidelines have been issued by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population in Myanmar in an effort to ensure the welfare of the nation’s garment workers. Despite the ongoing political turmoil in the war-torn nation, the… Read More -
Apr 30, 2018
Bangladeshi garment firms receive health and safety awards
DHAKA – Ten apparel companies have received recognition from the Bangladesh government in relation to sustained commitment to health and safety within the nation’s garment sector. To mark the achievement, the minister for Labour and Employment… Read More -
Apr 27, 2018
EU-Bangladesh summit assesses RMG sector progress
DHAKA – Representatives of the European Union and Bangladesh have gathered in Dhaka as part of the biennial meeting of the Sub group on Good Governance and Human Rights in the framework of the EU-Bangladesh Cooperation Agreement. Over the course of… Read More -
Apr 26, 2018
FLEX seeks garment sector input on modern slavery
LONDON – FLEX (Focus on Labour Exploitation) has launched a survey through which garment industry stakeholders can share their views on the effectiveness of the UK Modern Slavery Act along with sharing other measures needed to ensure modern slavery… Read More -
Apr 23, 2018Bangladesh Accord protests held at Abercrombie & Fitch stores
NEW YORK – With the firm having still to commit to the newest incarnation of the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety, Abercrombie & Fitch stores across the United States have been the subject of protests from workers’ rights campaigners.… Read More -
Apr 23, 2018Fairtade film makes garment worker living wage plea
LONDON – The Fairtrade Foundation has called on more apparel brands and retailers to set a deadline by which they will deliver living wages to workers throughout their supply chains. To raise awareness of the issue, a new film titled Unravelling The… Read More -
Apr 19, 2018Action Aid finds nearly half Rana Plaza survivors unemployed
DHAKA – The Five years of Rana Plaza tragedy: Invitation to Advancing Decent Work Agenda: Departure from Rana Plaza report conducted by Action Aid Bangladesh has found that around 48 per cent of Rana Plaza survivors have been left unable to work.… Read More -
Apr 16, 2018Bangladesh garment suppliers to rate customers
LONDON – The Ethical Trading Initiative has teamed up with Better Buying, the platform which allows textile and apparel suppliers to anonymously rate their customers as part of an 18-month plan to promote responsible buying in the Bangladesh garment… Read More -
Apr 13, 2018CCC accuses H&M report of living wage cover up
AMSTERDAM – Following the release of H&M’s 2017 Sustainability Report, Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) has accused the Swedish fashion retailer of attempting to ‘cover up its unfulfilled commitment’ to implement a living wage for its employees. The NGO… Read More
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