Workers Rights & Ethics
-
Wednesday, 23 October 2024H&M, Zara slammed over garment worker charges
DHAKA - Fashion brands including H&M, Zara and Next are facing criticism from campaigners and trade unions over their lack of action to protect garment workers in Bangladesh. They are being accused of failing to work with suppliers to have charges… -
Wednesday, 23 October 2024Forced labour risks 'in Taiwan textile mills'
TAIPEI - The US-based Transparentem NGO says it has uncovered serious forced labour risks involving migrants from Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines working at nine textile manufacturers in Taiwan. Transparentem has released an interim… -
Monday, 21 October 2024Government dissolves BGMEA board of directors
DHAKA - The board of directors of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has been dissolved by the government and an administrator appointed until new elections are held. A notice from the Ministry of Commerce said… -
Friday, 18 October 2024OECD issues guide for fashion supply chains
PARIS - The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has launched a handbook for companies on due diligence for enabling living incomes and living wages in agriculture, garment and footwear supply chains. Building on existing… -
Friday, 18 October 2024CFIN highlights UK’s circular fashion progress
LONDON - The Circular Fashion Innovation Network (CFIN), which is tasked with creating a roadmap to promote circularity in the UK fashion and textile industry, has released its first interim report, highlighting the progress and key insights from… -
Friday, 18 October 2024Migrant workers 'still face forced labour risks'
KUALA LUMPUR - Migrant workers employed in Malaysia's garment industry are continuing to experience working conditions consistent with forced labour - despite efforts by brands to engage with their suppliers, according to new report. The US-based… -
Friday, 18 October 2024Levi's signs up to Pakistan Accord initiative
SAN FRANCISCO - Fashion giant Levi's has signed up to the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry and its Pakistan Accord factory safety programme. It follows years of pressure from worker rights campaigners on… -
Friday, 18 October 2024Cotton farm wage tool piloted in Pakistan
GENEVA - A new wage sampling tool is to be piloted across Pakistan’s cotton sector in a bid to capture accurate worker pay and boost wage transparency. The tool will initially be rolled out across a quarter of Pakistan’s cotton farms and scaled… -
Thursday, 17 October 2024Australian brands fail to pay workers a living wage – report
SYDNEY – Nearly all Australian fashion companies are not paying a living wage to workers at any stage of the supply chain, according to a new report. The 2024 Ethical Fashion Report, by Baptist World Aid Australia, also revealed that 52% of… -
Tuesday, 15 October 2024OCA launches decent work strategy for farmers
AMSTERDAM - The Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) initiative has launched a 'Decent Work Strategy' to improve working conditions and protection for organic cotton farmers, farm workers and their communities. Over the next seven years, OCA will work… -
Monday, 14 October 2024ETI orders members to share supplier data
LONDON - The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) has entered into a partnership with Open Supply Hub (OSH) and instructed its brand members to post details of their suppliers on the supply chain mapping platform. ETI says it has become the first… -
Monday, 14 October 2024Prato violence shames ‘Made in Italy’ label
Physical attacks on Pakistani migrant leather workers in Prato, who were striking for improved workplace conditions, have once again cast a shadow over the ethics associated with the ‘Made in Italy’ label. Earlier this year, Italian courts… -
Friday, 11 October 2024Inditex renews global worker rights deal
ARTEIXO - Zara owner Inditex has renewed and expanded its agreement with the UNI Global Union to protect the rights of more than 160,000 fashion and retail workers worldwide. It comes 15 years after the Spanish retail giant and the service workers’… -
Tuesday, 08 October 2024Myanmar garment workers 'face ongoing abuse'
YANGON - Garment workers in Myanmar continue to face "dire and repressive working conditions" with 155 cases of abuse against workers reported in factories from 1st December 2023 to 30th June 2024, according to a new report. The Business and Human… -
Friday, 04 October 2024Asics, Muji urged to act on jailed worker
PHNOM PENH - Workers' rights campaigners have urged Japanese brands Asics and Muji to pressure a Cambodian supplier to compensate one of its workers who was falsely imprisoned on his bosses' evidence after being elected to lead a new union. Chea… -
Tuesday, 01 October 2024Garment worker shot dead in Bangladesh unrest
DHAKA - A garment worker has been shot dead and at least 20 more injured in continuing violent protests over pay and working conditions in Bangladesh. Unrest at garment factories has become an ongoing feature in Bangladesh since national protests… -
Monday, 30 September 2024Podcast: Inside the legal case against 'Shein's £50bn IPO'
YORK – The lawyer at the heart of a legal bid to block a potential public listing in London by ultra-fast fashion giant Shein discusses the case with our host Philip Berman in an exclusive podcast interview. Ricardo Gama, a senior associate… -
Monday, 30 September 2024Inditex halts sourcing over Turkish worker rights
ISTANBUL – Zara owner Inditex halted pre-sourcing negotiations last week with Turkish manufacturer Akcanlar Tekstil over worker rights violations, including the firing of 90 workers. This follows pressure from the United Textile Weaving and Leather… -
Monday, 30 September 2024Brands 'maintaining sourcing from Bangladesh'
DHAKA - Most brands have so far maintained sourcing levels from Bangladesh despite ongoing protests by workers which are continuing to disrupt the country's garment export industry. Factory closures caused by protests… -
Thursday, 26 September 2024Centre opens for female workers in Tunisia
TUNIS - A new centre has opened in the Tunisian capital city of Tunis to support female workers in the country's textile and garment industry in a partnership between trade unions and online fashion retailer ASOS. The centre will support female… -
Wednesday, 25 September 2024Talks agree deal to ease Bangladesh protests
DHAKA - Hopes are high that protests which have been disrupting Bangladesh's garment industry will ease following talks between the country's interim government, factory owners and workers' representatives. Factories which have been closed because… -
Tuesday, 24 September 2024Mexican fashion industry 'lacks transparency'
The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) last week published a survey revealing a troubling lack of transparency in Mexico’s fashion industry, with only one out of 18 leading companies responding to inquiries about their human rights due… -
Monday, 23 September 2024Harmful child labour uncovered in Bangladesh
DHAKA - Children are working in dangerous and harmful conditions at every stage of leather processing and production in Bangladesh, driven by the need to support their families, according to a new report. Researchers say children as young as eight… -
Friday, 20 September 2024Cambodian garment workers granted pay rise
PHNOM PENH - Garment workers in Cambodia have been granted a small increase in their minimum wage - from $204 to $208 per month - by the country's National Council on Minimum Wage (NCMW). It follows talks with employers, who said they were satisfied… -
Wednesday, 18 September 2024AAFA and FLA urge action on Bangladesh workers’ rights
WASHINGTON, D.C – The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and the Fair Labor Association (FLA) have issued a joint call for Bangladesh’s interim government to focus on improving worker rights in the country’s garment, footwear, and travel… -
Tuesday, 17 September 2024FLA offers living wage and equality support
WASHINGTON DC - The Fair Labor Association (FLA) has joined a global group of organisations advocating living wage and gender equality in the fashion and textile supply chain as part of the United Nations Global Compact’s (UNGC) Forward Faster… -
Friday, 13 September 2024Brands urge Taiwan to protect migrant workers
TAIPEI - Fifty global brands have issued a joint plea to Taiwan to ensure that responsible business practices are applied in the recruitment of migrant workers to the country’s textile mills. In joint letters to the Minister of Economic Affairs and… -
Thursday, 12 September 2024BHRRC criticises brands on Bangladesh crisis
LONDON - Global brands including Bestseller, Levi's, Target and Walmart have been criticised for failing to give information on how they are ensuring responsible purchasing practices in Bangladesh during the current unrest. The Business & Human… -
Wednesday, 11 September 2024Cascale signs MoU agreement with BGMEA
MUNICH – Cascale, formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), have signed a new supply chain collaboration. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) is aimed at… -
Tuesday, 10 September 2024Brands urge Cambodia to call off NGO probe
PHNOM PENH - Eighteen global brands, including Adidas, Gap, Levi's, PVH and VF Corp, have signed a joint statement calling on the Cambodian government to cancel an investigation into an NGO which criticised a garment factory watchdog. The Center for… -
Monday, 09 September 2024Agreement curbs GBVH, but will brands return?
A two-year review by the Global Labour Institute at Cornell University reveals significant progress in tackling gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) under a historic agreement signed in India, but also highlights concerns over its… -
Friday, 06 September 2024Child labour report flags textile sector issues
WASHINGTON – Elements of the textile supply chain in China, Vietnam and Myanmar are amongst a raft of new additions to the US Department of Labor’s watchlist of goods believed to be produced by child labour and/or forced labour. New additions to the… -
Thursday, 05 September 2024Event to promote responsible purchasing
AMSTERDAM - The Industry We Want (TIWW) and Initiative for Global Solidarity (IGS) will next week host a joint event to bring together key figures in the garment and footwear sectors to promote responsible purchasing as the new norm. The event, on… -
Wednesday, 04 September 2024Applied DNA to pilot cotton isotopic testing
STONY BROOK – Molecular technologies specialist Applied DNA Sciences has been awarded a contract for a pilot isotopic testing programme in Pakistan in a bid to reduce child and forced labour risks in cotton supply chains. Applied DNA was awarded the… -
Tuesday, 03 September 2024Unrest closes garment factories in Bangladesh
DHAKA - A joint police and army operation has been launched in Bangladesh after about 150 garment factories were forced to close their gates amidst violent scenes involving protestors demanding jobs. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and… -
Monday, 02 September 2024OSH works to ease Bangladesh sourcing crisis
DHAKA - The Open Supply Hub (OSH), which works to make supply chain data open, accessible and trustworthy through its worldwide open data platform, has provided a series of updates to stakeholders looking to source textiles and garments from… -
Monday, 02 September 2024SLCP tool cuts audit fatigue, disparities persist
GENEVA – A recent report by the International Trade Centre (ITC) in collaboration with the Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP) shows that although progress has been made to address audit fatigue within textile supply chains, results vary… -
Thursday, 29 August 2024New report calls for a low-carbon textile sector
TAMPA - With the textile industry responsible for over 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions and production rates increasing in many countries, there is a need to adopt cleaner, more efficient, and low-carbon technologies to mitigate climate… -
Tuesday, 27 August 2024H&M updates union agreement on worker rights
GLOBAL - Swedish fashion giant H&M has updated its agreement with the IndustriALL global union and the Swedish trade union IF Metall to protect the interests of more than one million garment workers. It says the updated global framework agreement… -
Tuesday, 27 August 2024UK shoe brand to implement digital passports
KETTERING - UK shoe brand, Loake Brothers has partnered with Buyerdock to integrate a digital product passport (DPP) system across its entire product range. Once implemented, each Loake product will feature a Buyerdock-powered DPP which the company… -
Wednesday, 21 August 2024Pakistan Accord briefs factories on safety
KARACHI - Garment and textile factory owners in Pakistan recently attended a briefing on the roll out of the Pakistan Accord on Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry (Pakistan Accord). Nearly 130 brands have now signed up for the… -
Wednesday, 21 August 2024Call for responsible sourcing in Bangladesh
DHAKA - Nine multi-stakeholder organisations have issued a joint statement calling for responsible behaviour from brands sourcing from Bangladesh following the overthrow of the government. Amfori, Cascale, Ethical Trade Denmark, Ethical Trade… -
Monday, 19 August 2024ILO bid to boost green textile jobs in Turkey
ANKARA - The International Labour Organization (ILO) has linked up with a women-led social enterprise in Turkey for a project to promote more sustainable textiles and decent work opportunities. The Turkish office of the ILO is providing technical… -
Friday, 16 August 2024New resource to enhance supply chain diligence
LONDON - The KnowTheChain initiative has published its 2024 Good Practice Guide, a new reference aimed at helping companies from the apparel and footwear sector ensure they are operating within ethical supply chains. The guide is described as a… -
Friday, 16 August 2024Report assesses Canada modern slavery legislation
SYDNEY - Australian NGO Fair Supply has published a research paper examining the effectiveness of Canada’s recently introduced legislation aimed at identifying forced labour and child labour in the country’s supply chains. The paper delves into the… -
Thursday, 15 August 2024Higg BRM tool augments EU reporting obligations
AMSTERDAM - Cascale, formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, has published a new research paper that details how the organisation’s Higg Brand & Retail Module (BRM) can help companies meet their regulatory reporting obligations under European… -
Wednesday, 14 August 2024
New minimum wage talks underway in Cambodia
PHNOM PENH - Negotiations are underway in Cambodia on setting a new minimum wage for garment workers for next year. Workers will be hoping for a significant increase in the current minimum wage of $204 per month in the sector, which also includes… -
Wednesday, 14 August 2024Campaigners urge Best&Less to sign the Accord
RHODES - Worker rights campaigners today presented a 85,000-name petition to Australian apparel retailer Best&Less urging the company to sign up to the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry. ActionAid… -
Tuesday, 13 August 2024Supply chain assessment non-profits team up
HONG KONG – Supplier assessment non-profit Ethical Supply Chain Program (ESCP) has partnered with supply chain mapping platform Open Supply Hub (OSH) to add almost 700 certified factories to the OSH digital map. The ESCP says data from the… -
Monday, 12 August 2024
Garment workers make new plea in Bangladesh
DHAKA - Garment workers' leaders in Bangladesh have presented a demand for improved pay and conditions to the country's new interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus. The Sramik Samhati (Bangladesh Garment Workers'…
Back Issue Archive
Other Publications from MCL News & Media
©
2008 - 2024
MCL News & Media
