Accord signatories form Human Rights Due Diligence Working Group
Updates
Update on ongoing feasibility studies
Update on ongoing feasibility studies
Article 40 of the International Accord provides that the parties to the agreement will explore the expansion of the scope to address human rights due diligence. To this end, the Steering Committee agreed to create a Working Group consisting of brands and trade union representatives that would be chaired by the Accord Secretariat.
The Human Rights Due Diligence Working Group held its first meeting on 9th September 2022 and worked on a survey to be shared with Accord signatories, trade unions, and NGOs. The survey was shared in November and its results are currently being discussed by the working group. A summary of the findings will be shared with all signatories and respondents in the coming months.
Related updates
The International Accord and a team of Arup engineers conducted pilot safety assessments at 7 garment and textile factories in Karachi and Lahore, Pakistan, between 28 November to 9 December 2022.
The Accord Secretariat conducted brand surveys, desk research, and in-depth interviews between October 2021- January 2022 to measure interest, presence, and volume of signatory brands in key garment-producing countries.
Nothing found.
Follow us on social media
Agreement on new, expanded Accord
Updates
Building on the Bangladesh Accord’s progress, garment brands and global unions reach agreement on new, expanded worker safety pact.
Building on the Bangladesh Accord’s progress, garment brands and global unions reach agreement on new, expanded worker safety pact.
Press release
Amsterdam/Geneva, 25 August 2021
Negotiations between a representation of international textile retailers and the global trade union signatories to the former Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh have resulted in an agreement that continues legally binding commitments to workplace safety in Bangladesh and promises to expand the program to other countries.
The new agreement called the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry, takes effect on 1 September 2021.
Like its predecessor agreement, this is a legally binding agreement between companies and trade unions to make Ready-Made Garment (RMG) and textile factories safe. The renewed agreement advances the fundamental elements that made the Accord successful, including: respect for freedom of association, independent administration and implementation, a high level of transparency, provisions to ensure remediation is financially feasible, Safety Committee training and worker awareness program, and a credible, independent complaints mechanism. In Bangladesh, the agreement is already implemented by the independent national tri-partite RMG Sustainability Council (“RSC”) consisting of brands, unions and industry.
Key new features of the International Accord include:
- A commitment to focus on the health and safety program in Bangladesh, and on building a credible industry-wide compliance and accountability mechanism
- A commitment to expand the work of the International Accord based on feasibility studies
- An option to expand the scope of the agreement to address human rights due diligence
- An optional streamlined arbitration process to enforce the Accord’s terms
Starting today, the trade union signatories, IndustriALL Global Union and UNI Global Union, will join along with leading brands into this new agreement. On 1 September, the Accord will announce the first wave of brands and retailers that have signed the agreement.
The Accord encourages all garment and textile companies to sign this agreement and join our collective goal of safe and sustainable RMG and related industries.
For more information:
Joris Oldenziel, Deputy Director
Bangladesh Accord
joris.oldenziel@internationalaccord.org
Mobile: +31 614954430
Matthew Painter, Head of Communications
UNI Global Union
matthew.painter@uniglobalunion.org
Mobile: +41 79 682 3376
Petra Brannmark, Communications Director
IndustriALL Global Union
pbrannmark@industriall-union.org
Mobile: +41 79 198 69 13
Resources
Related updates
The International Accord and a team of Arup engineers conducted pilot safety assessments at 7 garment and textile factories in Karachi and Lahore, Pakistan, between 28 November to 9 December 2022.
The Accord Secretariat conducted brand surveys, desk research, and in-depth interviews between October 2021- January 2022 to measure interest, presence, and volume of signatory brands in key garment-producing countries.
Nothing found.
Follow us on social media