Pakistan
Pakistan Accord on Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry
120+ global brands and retailers have committed to health and safety in the Pakistani textile and garment industry.
Pakistan Accord
The Pakistan Accord is a legally binding agreement between global trade unions & brands to ensure worker health and safety in the textile and garment industry of Pakistan.
Scope
The Pakistan Accord covers all Cut-Make-Trim (CMT) facilities, namely Ready-Made Garments (RMG), home textile, fabric, and knit accessories suppliers, producing products for Pakistan Accord signatory companies. Additionally, factory mills in Pakistan within the supply chains of the signatories are included. The process and timeline of including fabric mills that are not part of integrated facilities are subject to decision-making by the Accord Steering Committee (SC).
Key Elements
The Pakistan Accord builds on key elements of the International Accord including:
1. Independent inspections and remediation of fire, electrical, structural and boiler safety hazards
2. High level of transparency on a factory-by-factory basis
3. Provisions to ensure remediation is financially feasible
4. Safety Committee training and safety awareness program
5. Respect for freedom of association in relation to protecting worker safety
6. An independent worker complaints mechanism
7. Joint capacity building with the government of Pakistan
Coverage in Pakistan
Key Programs
Updates
Views from Our Stakeholders
Synergies Worldwide
The arrival of the Accord in Pakistan is not a challenge but an opportunity. It is logical to understand that a safer workforce means more brands and, consequently, more business. The Accord is skillful and focuses on fostering strong business relations between brands and suppliers. Moving forward, I recommend that brands remain committed to the program and embrace new ideas to ensure worker safety, with a special focus on digitisation.
C&A
Through the International Accord, C&A is committed to working with labour unions and the industry to create lasting change in the Bangladeshi and Pakistani garment industries. C&A was one of the first brands to sign the Bangladesh Accord and has played an active role in the Steering Committee since the beginning. The Accord has made great progress in raising awareness of important safety measures, involving workers, and driving real change in factory safety in Bangladesh – we now look forward to supporting the Accord implementation in Pakistan.
Hugo Boss
At Hugo Boss, we are committed to respecting human rights and safe working standards along our entire value chain and apply this throughout our organisation. We take the fair and ethical treatment of our employees, suppliers, and partners worldwide very seriously and look forward to supporting the improvement of labour conditions in Pakistan through implementing the Pakistan Accord.
Boohoo Group PLC
We are pleased to confirm that Boohoo Group has signed the Pakistan Accord, to help to support and improve the safety and well-being of the workers in our supply chain. Pakistan continues to play an important role in our growth and the move builds on our existing social audit programmes across the region. We are already witnessing the positive social and economic impacts of our involvement with the International Accord in Bangladesh and look forward to extending them to Pakistan.
ALDI North
At ALDI Nord, we are working with the Accord since 2013 and are happy to expand this valuable work to Pakistan. The Accord is an important pillar in our efforts to advance human rights and implement effective due diligence in our production countries. Together with local partners, global unions, and our peers, we can promote health and safety to make production facilities in Pakistan safe workplaces.
Resources
Explore the legal basis for the Pakistan programs aimed at ensuring worker health and safety in the garment and textile supply chains of Accord company signatories sourcing in Pakistan.
Explore the Pakistan Accord Building Standard ("Standard") that will be applied to inspect and ensure fire, electrical, structural, and boiler safety at factories supplying to Pakistan Accord brand signatories. The Standard also covers the protection from storage, use, and handling of hazardous substances.
Explore the report comprising key considerations from the pilot safety assessments initiated in September 2022 to establish an effective safety inspection and remediation program in Pakistan.
Explore the supplier information pack that provides relevant information about the Pakistan Accord including what the agreement contains, how the program will be implemented, and the anticipated benefits to suppliers based on the progress in Bangladesh.
Explore the Pakistan Accord Supplier Briefings to stay updated on key developments under the Pakistan Accord, along with information on upcoming events, guidance materials, and resources. These briefings are designed for all factories/suppliers listed by Pakistan Accord signatory brands.
Background
Since the International Accord came into effect in September 2021, the signatories mandated the Secretariat to conduct a year-long feasibility assessment to explore new country programs based on a number of criteria. Criteria included, amongst others: the interest of brands, presence and volume of signatory brands in the country, local stakeholder support, the extent to which existing mechanisms are able to regulate safety, and the extent to which there is scope to improve workplace health and safety. The Secretariat conducted brand surveys, desk research, and in-depth interviews between October 2021 and January 2022 to measure the interest, presence, and volume of signatory brands in key garment-producing countries.
Pakistan emerges as priority country
Pakistan emerged as one of four priority countries for signatories to consider for Accord expansion. Between March and November 2022, the Secretariat met with key stakeholders from industry, government, trade unions, brands, and civil society in all four priority countries for in-depth stakeholder consultations. Based on strong interest from stakeholders in Pakistan, the Accord Steering Committee agreed to proceed with drafting a framework for a program in Pakistan, as a basis to further consult stakeholders and to conduct pilot safety assessments to inform the possible establishment of an inspection and remediation program with the industry.
Agreement on new country program in Pakistan
In December 2022, the signatories agreed to establish a new workplace safety program in Pakistan for an initial term of 3 years, starting in 2023. The resulting agreement is called the ‘Pakistan Accord on Health & Safety in the Textile & Garment Industry’ (‘Pakistan Accord’) and outlines the envisaged program scope and key provisions to which company signatories commit to. The Pakistan Accord will continue as a CSSP Addendum under the International Accord renewed in 2023. The Pakistan Accord will initially be signed for a three-year period, with the prospect of renewal thereafter. The program will be implemented through close collaboration and involvement of the Pakistan government authorities and the manufacturing industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Pakistan Accord?
The Pakistan Accord on Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry (Pakistan Accord) is a legally binding agreement between company and trade union signatories to the International Accord on Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry (International Accord). The Pakistan Accord is a country-specific safety program established as a part of the commitments under Articles 38 and 39 of the International Accord to expand the work of the Accord to other countries beyond Bangladesh.
The purpose of the Pakistan Accord is to ensure worker health and safety in the garment and textile supply chains of company signatories sourcing in Pakistan.
What are the fundamental elements of the Pakistan Accord?
The Pakistan Accord builds on key elements of the International Accord including:
• Independent inspections and remediation of fire, electrical, structural and boiler safety hazards
• High level of transparency on a factory-by-factory basis
• Provisions to ensure remediation is financially feasible
• Safety Committee training and worker safety awareness program
• Respect for freedom of association in relation to protecting worker safety
• An independent complaints mechanism
• Joint capacity building with the government of Pakistan
What is the duration of the Pakistan Accord?
The Pakistan Accord will initially be signed for a three-year period, with the prospect of renewal.
Will all International Accord signatories sign the Pakistan Accord?
All International Accord signatories sourcing from Pakistan will be expected to sign the new agreement.
What is the scope of the Pakistan Accord?
• The Pakistan Accord covers all Cut-Make-Trim (CMT) facilities, namely all Ready-Made Garment (RMG), home textile, fabric and knit accessories suppliers, producing product for the signatory companies. Furthermore, fabric mills in Pakistan that are within the supply chains of the signatories are covered.
• The timing and process of the implementation of the Pakistan Accord in relation to fabric mills that are not part of integrated facilities, shall be subject to agreement of the Steering Committee of the International Accord (SC).
What fee do brands have to pay for the program in Pakistan?
Signatory companies shall assume responsibility for funding the activities of the program as set forth in this agreement. Each company contributing its equitable share of the funding in accordance with a formula to be established by the SC subject to a minimum contribution of US$ 2.500 and maximum contribution of US$ 185,000 per year for each year of the term of this agreement.
How many facilities in Pakistan do International Accord signatories source from?
It is estimated that between 500 to 700 facilities in the provinces of Sindh and Punjab are producing for over 100 International Accord signatories, with the collective export value of brands being over $2 billion USD. Upon signing the Pakistan Accord, brands will submit their full factory lists to the Accord Secretariat. Textile and garment factories are primarily clustered in the areas of Karachi, Lahore, Sialkot, and Faisalabad making Punjab and Sindh the main garment-producing provinces in Pakistan.
How is the Pakistan Accord linked to the International Accord?
The Pakistan Accord is a country program established as a part of the commitments under Articles 38 and 39 of the International Accord. Signatories to the Pakistan Accord shall also be signatories to the International Accord. The current International Accord expires on 31st October 2023. The signatories to the Pakistan Accord will strive to reach agreement on a prolongation of the international Accord which would then integrate the Pakistan Accord and other Country-Specific Safety Programs (CSSP) under the International Accord.
Why and how have the signatories decided to establish a program in Pakistan?
Signatories have agreed to establish a program in Pakistan following a year-long study by the International Accord Secretariat to assess the feasibility of new country programmes based on a number of criteria. Criteria included, amongst others: the presence and volume of signatory brands in the country; the interest of brands, local stakeholder support, the extent to which existing mechanisms are able to regulate safety, and the extent to which there are safety problems.
The 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.
Between March - August 2022, the Secretariat met with key stakeholders from industry, government, trade unions, brands, and civil society in the priority countries for in-depth stakeholder consultations.
Based on strong interest from stakeholders, the Accord Steering Committee agreed to conduct pilot safety assessments at 7 facilities in Pakistan as part of the feasibility study to inform the possible establishment of a workplace safety program there.
In December 2022, international textile and garment retailers and the global trade union signatories to the International Accord agreed to establish a new workplace safety program in Pakistan.
What is the tentative timeline to set up the program in Pakistan?
The Pakistan Accord programs will be implemented in phases over the course of the three-year program starting from the beginning of 2023. After completion of each phase, progress will be reviewed and adjustments made for the rolling-out of next phases in close collaboration with the key constituents, industry, trade unions and brands.
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