Bangladesh

A decade of progress in workplace safety in Bangladesh

Continued collaboration with brands and their suppliers to maintain safe garment and textile factories.

Origins in Bangladesh

In 2013, the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh started as a 5-year agreement to pursue workplace safety in the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector in Bangladesh. The agreement was initially signed by 40 brands and retailers, 2 global trade unions, IndustriALL Global Union & UNI Global Union, and 8 Bangladesh trade unions in the immediate aftermath of the April 2013 Rana Plaza building collapse that killed more than 1,000 workers and critically injured thousands more.

2018 Transition Accord

By July 2015, the number of Accord company signatories had risen to 220 and by May 2018, the joint efforts of Accord stakeholders had significantly contributed to safer workplaces for over 2 million garment factory workers in Bangladesh.

To maintain and expand the achievements of the 2013 Accord, over 190 brands and retailers renewed their commitments by signing the 2018 Transition Accord with the global trade unions. The 2018 Accord lasted 3 years and included a commitment to transition the implementation of Accord programs to a national tripartite organisation now known as the RMG Sustainability Council (RSC).

2021 International Accord

In 2021 the Accord signatories renewed their partnership and established the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry. This agreement confirms the continued commitment of signatories to support workplace safety programs in Bangladesh through cooperation with the RSC and further commits to establishing workplace safety programs in other countries based on the outcome of feasibility studies. Over 175 company signatories signed the International Accord in the first year of this agreement with an additional commitment to exploring the scope of the agreement to address Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) issues in the textile and garment industry.

Status of factories

The RMG Sustainability Council (RSC)

Purpose

The RMG Sustainability Council (RSC)is an independent, national, and tri-partite safety monitoring organisation for the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector in Bangladesh. On 1 June 2020, the RSC inherited the operations, staff, policies, and infrastructure of the local Bangladesh Accord office. Signatories to the International Accord have agreed to fulfil their commitments in Bangladesh through their participation in the RSC. The Secretariat in Amsterdam supports, coordinates, and liaises with the RSC to ensure that the brand obligations under the Accord agreement are fulfilled.

Governance

The RSC is a tri-partite organisation governed by brands and retailers, trade unions, and manufacturing associations. Its Board of Directors consists of 18 representatives, 6 from each RSC member organisation.

Programs

The RSC continues to implement the safety inspections and remediation program, safety committee and safety training program, and the complaints mechanism previously implemented by the Accord in Bangladesh.

Visit the RSC Website