Textile companies are under increasing pressure to ensure that their products are ethically produced, ethically sourced and purchased from factories that have humane working conditions as well as adequate safety regulations. People are more aware now than ever before about where their clothing comes from and how the people who manufacture their clothing are treated; no fashion label wants to be known as the brand that profits from inhumane working conditions and inhumane labour practices.
According to the official website, The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is a “legally binding agreement between international trade unions IndustriALL and UNI Global, Bangladesh trade unions, and international brands and retailers (Companies).” The Accord was created to enforce fire and building safety regulations in Bangladesh textile factories, and following the Rana Plaza factory building disaster in 2013, it’s easy to see why the Accord is important for the country.
Both human rights and labour practices have become hot topics in the fashion industry during the past decade. As the world puts more pressure on companies to be open and transparent about operations and suppliers, ethical labour practices and complying with human rights laws and workplace safety regulations has become more important than ever. It’s no longer sufficient for fashion lines to keep the public in the dark about where and how its garments are manufactured.
Many companies around the world have signed the Accord, so consumers who are conscious about buying clothes that were manufactured under fair and safe conditions have an array of choices. Campaigners for the Accord want shoppers to remember that the piles of clothing they see in their favourite shops were potentially made by people who are subjected to unsafe and unfair workplace conditions, and to advocate for safe workplace rights for everyone.
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