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Workers Rights & Ethics

  • Wednesday, 13 March 2024

    Textile firms drop SBTi scope 3 commitments Premium Article

    LONDON - More than 40 fashion retailers and textile and clothing manufacturers have had their Science Based Targets initiative-approved (SBTi) net-zero commitments removed after it emerged that previously agreed scope 3 reduction targets were…
  • Monday, 04 March 2024

    500 garment factories join safety programme Premium Article

    AMSTERDAM - More than 500 garment factories across India, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia have now joined the Life and Building Safety (LABS) programme to improve worker safety. LABS, set up by the Dutch sustainable trade initiative IDH, is…
  • Monday, 04 March 2024

    SBTi reports address supply chain strategies Premium Article

    LONDON - The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has released two new reports to support the design and implementation of beyond value chain mitigation (BVCM) strategies and mobilise increased action from corporations, including fashion and…
  • Thursday, 29 February 2024

    Textile workers' rise branded 'insufficient' Premium Article

    DHAKA - Textile workers in Bangladesh have been awarded a 75% rise in their minimum wage - however, the new level of BDT 10,000 ($90) per month has been branded insufficient by trade unions. It comes three months after the country's garment workers…
  • Tuesday, 27 February 2024

    VF extends support for female garment workers Premium Article

    DENVER - VF Corp has extended its support for a programme that helps women garment workers who have lost their jobs as a result of increased automation, re-enter employment. The owner of major brands such as Timberland, Vans, Dickies and North Face,…
  • Tuesday, 27 February 2024

    Fairtrade probes Bangladesh factory attack Premium Article

    GAZIPUR - Fairtrade has launched an investigation into allegations that union officials were beaten up outside the gates of one of its certified garment factories in Bangladesh. Shariful Islam and Jagdish Babu, of the Akota Garment Worker Federation…
  • Friday, 23 February 2024

    Inditex ramps up aid donations Premium Article

    ARTEIXO - Inditex, owner of the Zara brand says it has reinforced its commitment to the emergency programmes of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the refugee relief work being done by the humanitarian organisation in Bangladesh and Mexico,…
  • Thursday, 22 February 2024

    Union officials attacked at Fairtrade factory Premium Article

    GAZIPUR - Union officials who tried to help garment workers set up a trade union at a Bangladeshi supplier to global brands and retailers, including H&M and Next, were threatened and beaten, according to campaigners. Shariful Islam and Jagdish Babu,…
  • Wednesday, 21 February 2024

    Report shines light on gender pay gap Premium Article

    NEW YORK - A comprehensive report on gender inequality in the clothing and textile manufacturing sector has found significant pay gaps in favour of men across the global supply chain. The report, carried out by the non-profit Anker Research…
  • Wednesday, 21 February 2024

    OECD garment sector forum opens in Paris Premium Article

    PARIS - The 10th OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector opened in Paris this morning with an urgent call for direct support to vulnerable actors in supply chains. Antonio Gomes, deputy director of the OECD's directorate for…
  • Tuesday, 20 February 2024

    US, Japan discuss workers' rights in Xinjiang Premium Article

    WASHINGTON DC / TOKYO - Forced labour in the Xinjiang region was a major focus of the first round of talks between the US and Japan on the implementation of a joint task force on workers' rights in supply chains. Launched last year, the US-Japan…
  • Tuesday, 20 February 2024

    Garment workers take part in mass India strike day Premium Article

    NEW DELHI - Millions of workers in India, including representatives from the textile and garment sector, carried out a one-day strike last week to highlight the issues of working people ahead of the country’s upcoming general elections this year.…
  • Friday, 16 February 2024

    Garment workers 'attacked by factory bosses' Premium Article

    COLOMBO - Garment workers were attacked by their managers as they arrived at their factory in Sri Lanka where they were set to go on strike, according to the IndustriALL global union. The incident happened at the Hasalaka factory in the capital city…
  • Friday, 16 February 2024

    Brands urged to review Myanmar sourcing Premium Article

    YANGON - The Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) has urged brands still sourcing from Myanmar to consider withdrawing from the country following the introduction of conscription by the country's military leaders. Myanmar’s junta has declared mandatory…
  • Thursday, 15 February 2024

    ETI appoints former diplomat as new executive director Premium Article

    LONDON - The Ethical Trading Initiative has appointed former diplomat and Tesco group sustainability director Giles Bolton, as its new executive director. Bolton joins from the UK retail giant where over a 15 year career he built and led a team of…
  • Wednesday, 14 February 2024

    Xinjiang forced labour still 'increasing' Premium Article

    WASHINGTON DC - China is continuing to increase its policy of employing forced labour to subjugate Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic groups in the country's Xinjiang region, according to new research from a leading expert. Adrian Zenz, a senior fellow…
  • Tuesday, 13 February 2024

    Recycling specialist presents circular textiles plan Premium Article

    ASKER - Recycling and sorting specialist Tomra has published a new research paper in which it which it outlines some of the strategies and technologies it believes are required for the transition to a circular value chain in the textile industry.…
  • Tuesday, 13 February 2024

    Union leader shot in Turkish garment factory Premium Article

    IZMIR - The Fair Labor Association (FLA) is calling for justice following the shooting of a trade union leader at a garment factory in the Turkish city of Izmir. Makum Alagöz, president of the Leather Weaving and Textile Workers’ Union (DERITEKS),…
  • Tuesday, 13 February 2024

    BASF to sell-off Xinjiang interests Premium Article

    LUDWIGSHAFEN - Chemical giant BASF says it is to divest stakes in two joint ventures in the Xinjiang region of China, amid concerns over humans rights violations and carbon emissions. BASF said it would be exiting its partnerships with BASF Markor…
  • Friday, 09 February 2024

    IndustriALL welcomes Cambodia dispute resolution Premium Article

    TAKEO - Cambodia-based shoe manufacturer Pontus Footwear, which supplies major global brands such as VF Corp, has agreed to reinstate three local union leaders following their dismissal 12 months ago over the establishment of union representation…
  • Friday, 09 February 2024

    Forced labour report authors admit error Premium Article

    SHEFFIELD - Researchers at Sheffield Hallam University have admitted a significant error in a recent report which claimed that 39 global brands and retailers were at "high risk" of selling goods linked to forced labour in Europe. The university's…
  • Thursday, 08 February 2024

    Adidas supplier reinstates sacked workers Premium Article

    PHNOM PENH - An Adidas sportswear supplier in Cambodia has agreed to reinstate and pay backpay to eight garment workers who were laid off in 2020 after they formed a union to seek better working conditions. Trax Apparel has agreed to take back the…
  • Wednesday, 07 February 2024

    RadiciGroup outlines sustainability 'roadmap' Premium Article

    BERGAMO – Italian chemicals, plastics and synthetic fibres producer RadiciGroup has published its latest environmental, social and governance (ESG) plan in which it sets out a series of targets aimed at boosting its overall sustainability…
  • Tuesday, 06 February 2024

    Lenzing and Kering earn triple ‘A’ rating from CDP Premium Article

    LENZING – Cellulosic fibre specialist Lenzing and French fashion conglomerate Kering have been named as two of only 10 companies in the world, and the only ones active in the textile and fashion industry, to achieve a triple A score on environmental…
  • Tuesday, 06 February 2024

    Vietnam 'forced labour' exports overtake China Premium Article

    WASHINGTON DC - Vietnam overtook China last year as the country having the most textile and apparel exports to the USA intercepted under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). The US Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) interactive…
  • Monday, 05 February 2024

    SLCP completes spin off from SAC Premium Article

    AMSTERDAM / SAN FRANCISCO – The Dutch-based Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP) has completed its planned spin-off from the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) to become an independent non-profit. However, the two organisations say they will…
  • Monday, 05 February 2024

    Africa project to focus on circular textiles Premium Article

    PRETORIA - The National Cleaner Production Centre South Africa (NCPC-SA), in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), has officially launched a new project aimed at advancing the circular economy in Africa's…
  • Friday, 02 February 2024

    NCTO welcomes action on unfair trade practices Premium Article

    WASHINGTON – The US-based National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) has welcomed the launch of a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) textile enforcement plan aimed at eradicating unfair trade practices. The DHS has been under pressure to…
  • Friday, 02 February 2024

    Report highlights Uzbek forced labour issues Premium Article

    BERLIN – A report by Cotton Campaign member, the Uzbek Forum for Human Rights on the country's 2023 cotton harvest, has found that local officials resorted to forced labour in districts with a shortage of voluntary pickers, forcing some employees of…
  • Wednesday, 31 January 2024

    Brands 'complicit in Myanmar coup abuse' Premium Article

    YANGON - Fashion giants including H&M, Zara owner Inditex and Bestseller have been linked to worsening conditions for garment workers in Myanmar following the military coup of February 2021. New data, compiled by the Business & Human Rights Resource…
  • Friday, 26 January 2024

    Pakistan Accord hits signatory milestone Premium Article

    AMSTERDAM - A total of 100 global brands and retailers have now committed to the Pakistan Accord on Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry (Pakistan Accord). The milestone was reached this week with Original Marines, Turner Bianca,…
  • Friday, 26 January 2024

    EAC publishes Boohoo response to BBC claims Premium Article

    LONDON - Fast fashion giant Boohoo's response to criticisms levelled at the company's working practices have been published by Britain's Environmental Audit Committee (EAC). The EAC has made public a lengthy letter from Boohoo’s chief executive John…
  • Friday, 26 January 2024

    Concern over South African factory conditions Premium Article

    MANDENI - Trade union leaders are calling for action after government inspectors reported "deplorable" working conditions at textile and garment factories in South Africa. Inspectors from the Department of Employment and Labour last month visited…
  • Tuesday, 23 January 2024

    ILO calls for improved occupational health frameworks Premium Article

    GENEVA - The International Labor Organisation (ILO) has published a new report in which it calls for the increased use of occupational safety and health (OSH) frameworks to address the root causes of violence and harassment, including in the garment…
  • Monday, 22 January 2024

    Bangladesh textile workers set for pay rise Premium Article

    DHAKA - Textile workers in Bangladesh have been promised a pay rise following reports of vandalism in factories by disgruntled employees struggling to make ends meet. They point out that garment workers were awarded a 56% increase from the start of…
  • Friday, 19 January 2024

    WRAP updates on EPR progress Premium Article

    LONDON – UK waste recycling charity WRAP has published a new report summarising the proliferation of extended producer responsibility (EPR) systems for the textiles waste stream. Outlining the impact of greenhouse gases emitted from textiles…
  • Thursday, 18 January 2024

    Tunisian textile workers win 20% pay rise Premium Article

    TUNIS - Textile workers in Tunisia have secured a 20% wage increase over the next three years following negotiations between trade unions and employers. The pay rise - worth 6.5% this year and next, and 7% in 2025 - comes after an agreement between…
  • Wednesday, 17 January 2024

    More brands urged to support EIS Pilot scheme Premium Article

    DHAKA - The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) is urging more brands to support an initiative which offers social insurance protection for garment workers and their families in the event of factory accidents in Bangladesh. The Employment Injury Scheme…
  • Friday, 12 January 2024

    Bid to combat child and forced labour in Mexico Premium Article

    WASHINGTON DC – The US Department of Labor (DOL) has awarded up to $12.4 million in grant funding for three organisations to reduce child and forced labour in Mexico and support migrant workers. Research by the DOL's Bureau of International Labor…
  • Friday, 12 January 2024

    IndustriALL urges EU action on Myanmar Premium Article

    YANGON - The IndustriALL global trade union has reiterated its call for the European Union to withdraw its support for fashion brands and retailers sourcing from Myanmar. The move follows several years of concerns voiced by the union over the…
  • Thursday, 11 January 2024

    Fashion brands 'fail to act on forced labour' Premium Article

    LONDON - Forced labour allegations have been identified in the supply chains of nearly half of the major fashion brands and retailers scrutinised in a new report from the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC). A total of 65 of the world’s…
  • Wednesday, 10 January 2024

    Workers rights agreement targets Uzbekistan Premium Article

    TASHKENT - Organisations campaigning to improve conditions in the Uzbekistan textile industry have received a welcome boost with the signing a two-year memorandum of cooperation that aims to improve working environments and prevent forced labour.…
  • Tuesday, 09 January 2024

    Brands agree to pay migrant garment workers Premium Article

    MAURITIUS - Leading brands including PVH, which owns Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, have agreed to pay more than $400,000 to garment workers in Mauritius after an investigation found migrants had paid illegal recruitment fees for their jobs. It…
  • Thursday, 04 January 2024

    Workers' rights 'disregarded after earthquake' Premium Article

    GAZIANTEP – Garment factories and fashion brands both disregarded workers’ rights in the wake of the devastating earthquake which hit south-eastern Turkey last year, according to campaigners. The claims by the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) are based…
  • Thursday, 21 December 2023

    Congress calls for AAFA action over Bangladesh Premium Article

    WASHINGTON DC - US lawmakers have called upon the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) to use its influence to support the demands of Bangladesh’s garment workers for fairer wages and working conditions. The letter follows several months…
  • Wednesday, 20 December 2023

    Garment supplier to reinstate sacked workers Premium Article

    DHAKA - A Bangladesh garment manufacturer which supplies major brands, including ASOS, H&M, Inditex, Bestseller and Next, has agreed to reinstate workers who were allegedly sacked for trying to set up a trade union. It follows a complaint about…
  • Wednesday, 20 December 2023

    AAFA urges action on Cambodia brick kiln industry Premium Article

    PHNOM PENH – The American Apparel & Footwear Association has urged the Cambodian government to take action against the practice of child labour and the burning of mixed garment waste in the country’s brick kiln industry. The letter from the AAFA…
  • Tuesday, 19 December 2023

    Review highlights NHS sourcing slavery risks Premium Article

    LONDON - One in five suppliers to the NHS is at high risk of employing modern slavery, according to a new review of around 600,000 products including about 30,000 cotton-based items. The 'Review of the risk of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking in…
  • Friday, 15 December 2023

    Uzbek farmers’ co-operative fights to survive Premium Article

    NUKUS - Human rights campaigners are supporting a cotton farmers' co-operative in Uzbekistan which is appealing after state officials succeeded in winning a court order to close it down. Human Rights Watch and Uzbek Forum for Human Rights say that…
  • Friday, 15 December 2023

    Civil society groups urge forced labour ban Premium Article

    NEW YORK - A collection of non-profit organisations, civil society groups and textile industry watchdogs have joined together to urge governments around the world to implement bans of imports made using forced labour. More than 40 groups including…
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