Social Compliance & CSR News
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Friday, 17 January 2020Garment workers’ organisation calls for greater protection
ASHULIA – Garment workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh, have today staged a demonstration demanding exemplary punishment for the culprits of an alleged rape in Ashulia. Around 50 members of the workers’ welfare organisation, Bangladesh Garment Sramik… -
Thursday, 16 January 2020Agreement reached to transition Bangladesh Accord
DHAKA – The BGMEA and the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh have officially signed a transition agreement to finalise the creation of the new RMG sustainability council (RSC), which aims to oversee the safety of garment workers in the… -
Thursday, 16 January 2020Dhaka gridlocked as garment workers protest
DHAKA – Bangladeshi garment workers have blockaded a road in the country’s capital of Dhaka in protest over unpaid wages, in an incident that mirrors a strike taken just last month. Traffic in Shyamoli allegedly ground to a halt for more than two… -
Wednesday, 15 January 2020Cambodia’s workforce endangering lives by hitching rides
PHNOM PENH – Findings from a new National Social Security Fund (NSSF) report has highlighted the danger garment factory workers subject themselves to when in transit to their jobs. According to the new NSSF report, 50 workers were killed and almost… -
Wednesday, 15 January 2020Bangladeshi workers still facing repression over wage protests
DHAKA – Two years on since tens of thousands of Bangladeshi garment workers took to the streets in protest over poverty wages, many remain out of work and facing criminal charges from disgruntled factory bosses. In January 2019, workers ended… -
Monday, 13 January 2020Cambodia pays out US$7.6m to workers on maternity leave
PHNOM PENH – Garment workers in Cambodia were last year afforded almost 20 per cent more money than the year prior when on maternity leave, the country’s National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has announced. In 2019, female workers were paid an… -
Friday, 10 January 2020Crackdown on child labour in Mexico
PUEBLA - A new initiative has been launched by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to crackdown on the use of child labour in the Mexican fashion industry. The 14-month programme aims to prevent, detect and assist victims of child… -
Thursday, 09 January 2020Action taken against 'unsafe' garment factories
DHAKA - A total of 84 garment factories in Bangladesh have had their Utilisation Declaration (UD) certificates suspended - preventing them from importing duty-free raw materials and exporting finished products - due to safety concerns. The… -
Thursday, 09 January 2020Myanmar set to adjust minimum wage
YANGON – From next week, Myanmar’s government will begin research across major cities on the cost of labour in the garment, food and commodity sectors, as it looks to establish a new minimum wage to be introduced this May. Every two years the… -
Wednesday, 08 January 2020Call for action against 'unsafe' garment factories
DHAKA - The Bangladeshi government has ordered apparel trade bodies to prevent garment factories which have failed to improve safety to protect workers from exporting their products. The Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments… -
Tuesday, 07 January 2020Vietnamese workers strike over inadequate bonuses
NINH BINH – More than a thousand workers at a garment manufacturing facility in Vietnam have gone on strike in protest over unpaid Tet bonuses traditionally awarded to staff in-line with the Lunar New Year. Each year, Vietnam celebrates the Lunar… -
Monday, 06 January 2020
Workers, employer at loggerheads after factory protests
YANGON – Garment workers at a Japanese-owned factory in Yangon, Myanmar, have threatened to protest at the doors of the Japanese embassy if the site’s bosses do not withdraw ongoing labour cases against the group of 16 employees. A band of workers… -
Monday, 06 January 2020Row over minimum wage hike in Bangladesh
DHAKA - A row has broken out between workers' rights campaigners and factory owners over a recent hike in the minimum wage paid to garment workers in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association took exception to a… -
Friday, 03 January 2020
Factory fire safety fears raised in Bangladesh
DHAKA - Safety experts fear lives could be put at risk in Bangladesh unless the fire safety sections of proposed new national building safety standards - which affect garment factories along with other structures - are strengthened. Experts at the… -
Monday, 23 December 2019Thousands protest in Bangladesh over unpaid wages
UTTARA – Thousands of Bangladeshi garment workers in the suburbs of Dhaka have blocked a highway in protest over unpaid wages. Local reports indicate that workers belonging to the company Top Jeans are owed up to three months of backed up wages and… -
Friday, 20 December 2019Myanmar workforce protests labour rights inaction
YANGON – Around 200 workers from a garment factory in Myanmar are protesting at the doors of the Yangon region’s government office after a letter sent to its labour department was ignored. The World Jin Garment Factory’s workforce reported… -
Wednesday, 18 December 2019H&M joins Tent Partnership for Refugees
STOCKHOLM - The H&M group has joined the global Tent Partnership for Refugees private sector network which works to improve the lives and livelihoods of refugees. The company says the partnership will allow it to build on its work to address the… -
Wednesday, 18 December 2019Labour rights coalition calls for greater transparency
AMSTERDAM – Whilst recognising a surge in transparency within the apparel manufacturing industry, a new report published by a coalition of unions, human rights groups and labour rights advocates has called on more companies to commit to its… -
Monday, 16 December 2019
Garment workers protest unpaid wages
PHNOM PENH – Cambodian garment workers are protesting unpaid wages after bosses closed a manufacturing site without providing full payment or seniority benefits. The almost 200-strong workforce have slept on the doorstep of the manufacturing site… -
Friday, 13 December 2019Woman killed in Bangladesh garment factory explosion
DHAKA - A young woman has been killed and five other people injured in an explosion at a sweater factory - which reportedly supplies brands including H&M and Next - on the outskirts of the Bangladeshi capital city of Dhaka. Factory safety has once… -
Wednesday, 11 December 2019H&M signs agreement to protect migrant workers
GENEVA - The H&M Group has agreed with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to co-operate on the ethical recruitment and protection of migrant workers in its global supply chains. H&M Group’s head of sustainability Anna Gedda and Simo… -
Monday, 09 December 2019Myanmar the focus of new sustainability project
YANGON – A new phase of the European Union’s SMART Textile and Garments project has kick-started, focusing on environmental sustainability within Myanmar’s apparel manufacturing industry. With backing from H&M, Bestseller and C&A, organisers of the… -
Monday, 09 December 201943 killed in New Delhi garment factory fire
NEW DELHI - At least 43 people have been killed in a fire believed to have been caused by an electrical fault at a garment factory in the Indian capital city of New Delhi. More than 100 people were reportedly sleeping inside the factory when the… -
Friday, 22 November 2019CCC calls for Bangladeshi worker compensation scheme
DHAKA – Ahead of this Sunday’s public commemorations of the 112 lives lost in a Bangladeshi factory fire seven years ago, the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) reflects on the lack of progress its native industry has made in establishing a compensation… -
Tuesday, 19 November 2019Brands urged to act on treatment of refugee workers
ISTANBUL - A new report on the plight of Syrian refugees working in Turkey's garment industry says there is an urgent need for brands to act to improve conditions in their supply chains. Entitled Syrian Workers in Turkey's Garment Industry: Looking… -
Friday, 15 November 2019Lawyers urge EU to act on garment workers' wages
NEWCASTLE - The European Union is being urged by the lawyer authors of a new report to introduce new legislation to tackle poverty wages in global fashion supply chains. The Circle NGO, set up by the singer Annie Lennox to challenge injustices faced… -
Tuesday, 12 November 2019Dutch fashion brands pledge further transparency
AMSTERDAM – Eight Dutch fashion brands including Kings of Indigo, Kuyichi and WE Fashion have today signed a ‘transparency pledge’ as part of their involvement with the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile initiative. In doing so, the… -
Monday, 11 November 2019Apparel Coalition releases new Higg modules
SAN FRANCISCO – The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) has released the 2019 Higg Facility Modules; tools developed to improve social and environmental sustainability within the textiles industry. The introduction of the Higg Facility Environmental… -
Thursday, 07 November 2019AAFA writes to PM after Nirapon shut down
DHAKA – Fashion brands trade group American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) has written to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh expressing its fears for garment workers after the Nirapon safety monitoring organisation was shut down by the… -
Friday, 01 November 2019Whistleblower app launched for garment workers
AUCKLAND - New Zealand fashion retailers Glassons and Hallenstein Brothers have introduced a whistleblower app to enable workers in supplier factories to report ethical breaches without fear of reprisal. Parent company Hallenstein Glasson Holdings… -
Wednesday, 30 October 2019Planet Textiles Pod shines light on unseen workers
BARCELONA – “When you look at the supply chain of an average retailer, when you look at how many workers are registered in that supply chain as a hypothetical example, you can factor in that there’ll be five times more invisible workers than visible… -
Tuesday, 29 October 2019Myanmar failing to protect ethnic minorities
NEW YORK - The head of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) on Myanmar, Marzuki Darusman, says the country is failing in its obligation under the Genocide Convention to prevent the mistreatment of ethnic minorities in the… -
Monday, 21 October 2019Maternity rights inconsistent across Bangladesh
WASHINGTON – A new study conducted by the Fair Labor Association (FLA) has uncovered disparities in the maternity rights of women in Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) sector. Findings from anonymous interviews with 88 female workers spanning the… -
Tuesday, 15 October 2019Lululemon garment workers 'beaten and abused'
BANGLADESH - Female garment workers producing Lululemon designer leggings are reportedly being physically and verbally assaulted at the Bangladeshi factory where they work. Young female factory workers told The Guardian newspaper how they struggled… -
Wednesday, 09 October 2019Ellen MacArthur links up with BlackRock
LONDON - BlackRock, the world's largest asset management firm, has entered into a global partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to set up an investment fund aimed at driving the development of a circular economy. BlackRock, which controls… -
Monday, 07 October 2019Europe to accelerate drive towards textiles circularity
BRUSSELS – The Council of the European Union has given the green light to accelerate the transition of key sectors, including textiles, towards a circular economy and says it will encourage the use of economic instruments, such as taxation and… -
Monday, 07 October 2019EOCA opens conservation project vote
KENDAL – The European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA) has invited industry-wide input as it looks to whittle down the list of projects it’s set to fund with a combined €180,000 in the coming months. A public vote has opened today and will… -
Wednesday, 02 October 2019US blocks clothing from China over slavery fears
NEW YORK - The United States has blocked the import of goods suspected to have been made with forced labour from five countries, including clothing from China, in a rare crackdown on slave labour. The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said it… -
Monday, 23 September 2019G-Star signs up to fair wages campaign
AMSTERDAM - Denim brand G-Star RAW has become the first Dutch company to sign up to the ACT initiative which campaigns for workers in the garment, textile and footwear industries to be paid a living wage. The popular label said it was proud to join… -
Monday, 23 September 2019Fast Retailing funds ILO social security probe
YAMAGUCHI – Japanese fashion behemoth Fast Retailing has partnered with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to hone in on labour markets throughout Asia and improve social security and working environments. The owner of the Uniqlo brand,… -
Monday, 16 September 2019Protesting garment workers hurt in clash with police
NARAYANGANJ - More than 40 people have been injured following clashes between police officers and garment workers protesting over unpaid wages in Bangladash. Police officers fired tear gas shells and rubber bullets to clear the protesters who were… -
Friday, 13 September 2019BFC launches Institute of Positive Fashion
LONDON – The British Fashion Council (BF) has announced its intention to launch the Institute of Positive Fashion (IPF), saying that there is “an urgent need for industry-wide coalition to help set industry standards in a new way, embrace innovation… -
Wednesday, 11 September 2019
Forced labour in China jeopardises textile supply chains
XINJIANG – Supply chain risks are set to intensify for apparel brands sourcing from China due to the increasing use of forced labour in Uyghur detention camps in the Xinjiang region, according to a new report. Global risk analysis company Verisk… -
Monday, 09 September 2019Brand demands crippling Turkey’s Syrian workforce
LONDON – A new report which delves into the state-of-play in Turkish apparel manufacturing facilities reports that Syrian refugees, of which 650,000 are employed in menial jobs throughout its supply chains, are exploited in the name of fast fashion;… -
Tuesday, 03 September 2019BGMEA to form RMG Sustainability Council
DHAKA – The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BGMEA) – the trade body of apparel manufacturers in Bangladesh – is set to establish an RMG (ready-made garment) Sustainability Council, with the aim of implementing a… -
Monday, 02 September 2019Campaigners call for school uniform supplier transparency
LONDON – A collective of campaign groups which includes workers’ rights NGO Labour Behind the Label has called on school uniform supplier Trutex to disclose information about the factories from which it sources apparel, to ensure the firm can’t be… -
Friday, 30 August 2019G-Star joins UN Charter for Climate Action
AMSTERDAM – The UN Climate Change’s (UNCC) Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action has welcomed Dutch clothing brand G-Star Raw as a signatory. The popular denim brand has signed up to the UN’s 2018 initiative, which outlines a plan for the… -
Wednesday, 28 August 2019CCC unconvinced by new worker safety initiative
NEW DELHI – A new building safety initiative launching today in India, which promises to “build on the learnings and experiences” of the Bangladesh Accord, has been questioned by Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) which says that the very brands and… -
Tuesday, 27 August 2019Esprit cuts Myanmar ties amidst military violations
YANGON – Apparel brand Esprit has gone on record to say that it will no longer source from a garment manufacturing facility believed to be linked to Myanmar’s military. This, after a recent report from the U.N. Independent International Fact-Finding… -
Friday, 23 August 2019UK workers paid just £4 an hour, report finds
MANCHESTER – A new report commissioned off the back of Channel 4’s Dispatches investigation in 2017, which found that workers in Leicester, England, were paid less than half the legal minimum wage, has now discovered that the same level of…
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