Workers Rights & Ethics
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Monday, 23 December 2024Automation replaces 31% of garment workers
DHAKA - Automation has already replaced 31% of garment workers in Bangladesh, according to a new study by Solidaridad Network Asia, the Bangladesh Labour Foundation and the country's BRAC University. Unskilled 'helpers' were the most likely to have… -
Monday, 23 December 2024RISE programme reaches 400,000 workers
PARIS - The RISE (Reimagining Industry to Support Equality) programme claims to have reached 400,000 workers this year in its work to improve gender equality in the garment, footwear and textile industries. RISE, a joint programme by Gap's PACE… -
Friday, 20 December 2024Myanmar garment workers 'under siege' - report
YANGON - Myanmar's garment workers are under siege from the combined impacts of economic hardship and forced military conscription, according to a report from the Shwetaungthagathu Reform Initiative Centre (SRIc). The hybrid think tank and… -
Thursday, 19 December 2024Shein's due diligence 'red flag to investors'
LONDON - Ultra fast fashion retailer Shein's work to tackle forced labour in its global supply chains falls "significantly short" of sector leaders - a red flag for investors ahead of the company's anticipated public listing in London, according to… -
Monday, 16 December 2024Coalition outlines purchasing practice findings
GLOBAL - An alliance of multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) set up to explore responsible purchasing practices to reduce the negative impacts of the fashion industry on garment workers and suppliers, has published it initial findings. The… -
Thursday, 12 December 2024Forced labour risks 'remain in Uzbek cotton'
TASHKENT - Forced labour risks and other human rights concerns in Uzbekistan’s cotton sector remain high despite the abolition of state-imposed forced labour, according to a new report by human rights campaigners. The study, from the Uzbek Forum for… -
Thursday, 12 December 2024REI accused of supply chain worker risks
SEATTLE - Outdoor retail giant REI has been accused of links to “gross violations of labour and human rights” in its global supply chain, in a new report from the University of Massachusetts Amherst Labor Center and Students for International Labor… -
Thursday, 12 December 2024Global brands linked to worker abuse claims
LONDON - Global fashion giants, including H&M, Ralph Lauren, ASOS, Mango, Michael Kors, Coach and Gucci, have been linked to labour rights violations in their supply chains by new research released today. The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre… -
Tuesday, 10 December 20249% pay rise for Bangladesh garment workers
DHAKA - Garment workers in Bangladesh are to receive a 9% pay rise in a bid to calm the unrest which has disrupted the industry since student-led protests brought down Sheikh Hasina's government in August. The government has decided to add a 4%… -
Friday, 06 December 2024Unions urge Accord to expand to Morocco
RABAT - Trade unions are urging the Moroccan government to enter into talks with the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry in the hope it will set up a worker safety programme in the country. The IndustriALL… -
Tuesday, 03 December 2024Protesting workers 'attack garment factory boss'
GAZIPUR - Business leaders in Bangladesh have condemned the brutal beating of the deputy managing director of a garment factory as he reportedly tried to talk to protesting workers. Rafee Mahmud, whose family owns Mahmud Jeans Ltd, of Gazipur, was… -
Tuesday, 03 December 2024Industrial relations deal signed in Bangladesh
DHAKA - Workers, employers and the government have agreed to work towards “improved and harmonious” industrial relations in Bangladesh where ongoing protests continue to disrupt the country's key garment export industry. Unrest at garment factories… -
Thursday, 28 November 2024Cotton's forced labour issues go beyond China
Forced labour remains an issue in cotton - and not just in China's Xinjiang region. This has implications for the rollout of human rights due diligence (HRDD) requirements and for ethical sourcing. Anti-Slavery International recently alerted us to… -
Thursday, 28 November 2024Calls for Australian brands to pay living wage
MELBOURNE – Oxfam Australia has claimed that some of the country’s biggest fashion brands are underpaying female garment workers in their supply chains despite making huge profits. Oxfam says that Kmart Group, Big W, Cotton On, Rip Curl and… -
Monday, 25 November 2024Environmental assessment for consumer goods sector
BRUSSELS - Members of AIM-Progress, which is made up of members from the major fast-moving consumer goods sector, and the Consumer Goods Forum Human Rights Coalition, have partnered with the Fair Labor Association (FLA) and the Proforest non-profit… -
Thursday, 21 November 2024Garment workers 'struggle to make ends meet'
DHAKA - A new report from the Swedwatch NGO highlights the impacts of low wages on Bangladesh's garment workers who are said to be dependant on overtime or falling into debt to make ends meet. Swedwatch, a Swedish non-profit focused on business… -
Wednesday, 20 November 20241,200 Leicester garment workers 'underpaid'
LEICESTER - More than 1,200 garment workers in Leicester have been illegally underpaid over the last five years, according to newly disclosed figures. The figures, which cover the financial years from 2019-20 to 2023-24 and were revealed by HM… -
Wednesday, 20 November 2024Fair Wear and EOG partner on workers rights initiative
AMSTERDAM - Multi-stakeholder initiative, the Fair Wear Foundation has announced a strategic partnership with the European Outdoor Group (EOG) aimed at enhancing worker rights in the outdoor apparel sector. Under the terms of the partnership, the… -
Wednesday, 20 November 2024ILO step-ups action against Myanmar government
GENEVA - The International Labor Organization (ILO) is to begin action against the Myanmar government amid concerns that has failed to adhere to any of its previous recommendations aimed at reducing the risks faced by the country’s workers,… -
Tuesday, 19 November 2024UKFT secures CCL rebate scheme extension
LONDON – The UK Fashion & Textile Association (UKFT) has announced a six-year extension to the Climate Change Levy (CCL) rebate scheme for the textile industry. The extended scheme, which will run from 1 January 2026 to March 2033, has been slightly… -
Tuesday, 19 November 2024Garment workers' living wage gap highlighted
SOUTH ASIA - A new report from the Asia Floor Wage Alliance (AFWA) highlights the gap between the wages paid to garment workers and how much it costs to meet their basic living needs. AFWA's 'Path to a Living Wage' report calls for a living wage in… -
Monday, 18 November 2024
Lift-off for supplier data sharing programme
LONDON - More than 400 companies are now preparing to share their supply chain data and accelerate their transparency across global textile and garment supply chains with Open Supply Hub (OS Hub), following a series of partnerships with… -
Thursday, 14 November 2024
Complaints lodged against brands over Myanmar
YANGON - The IndustriALL globaI union has filed complaints against three leading brands – Next, New Yorker and LPP – over their continued sourcing from Myanmar despite "overwhelming evidence of continuous violations of workers’ rights" since the… -
Thursday, 14 November 2024New ESG guide for luxury brands launched
CHICAGO – International law firm Baker McKenzie and sustainability consultants Positive Luxury have published an updated guide for luxury brands on meeting the requirements of new and upcoming environmental and human rights legislation. It… -
Thursday, 14 November 2024YESS members implement cotton due diligence
BERKELEY - The Responsible Sourcing Network (RSN) non-profit has confirmed that the first cohort of its YESS (Yarn Ethically and Sustainably Sourced) members have begun to implement due diligence in their supply chains. Targeting the elimination of… -
Friday, 08 November 2024WRC accuses Shein over garment factory closure
GUATEMALA CITY - Worker rights campaigners have criticised Chinese-owned ultra fast fashion giant Shein for failing to protect workers at a former garment factory in Guatemala which supplied a brand it part owns. The US-based Worker Rights… -
Wednesday, 06 November 2024Funding gap for India decarbonisation plans
AMSTERDAM - India’s textile and apparel industry requires around $6.5 billion in fresh funding if it is to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030, according to a new report from the Apparel Impact Institute. The report, ‘Landscape and… -
Monday, 04 November 2024Esquel Group restricted from exporting to US
WASHINGTON DC - The Hong Kong-based Esquel Group, one of the world's biggest textile and apparel manufacturers, has been restricted from exporting to the US under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). The US Department of Homeland Security… -
Friday, 01 November 2024IndustriALL voices Myanmar garment worker fears
YANGON - The IndustriALL global trade union has warned of the continuing risks facing garment workers in Myanmar. Citing a tracker developed by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, which monitors abuse in Myanmar’s garment industry,… -
Thursday, 31 October 2024Cascale to give textile suppliers more say
AMSTERDAM – Cascale, formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, has introduced a new member engagement and governance model which it says will elevate supplier and manufacturer input into its decision-making.It says the new model aims to promote… -
Wednesday, 30 October 2024Kering adopts science-based targets for nature
PARIS - Global luxury group Kering, owner of Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen, has adopted the first-ever science-based targets for both freshwater and land. Kering is one of just three companies, and the only one in the fashion… -
Wednesday, 30 October 2024Kering and CSF focus on sustainable governance
LONDON - The Centre for Sustainable Fashion at the London College of Fashion has partnered with global luxury group Kering, owner of Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen, on the launch of a new governance programme for the high-end… -
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 2024
Myanmar 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…
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