The Brands Association for Textile & RMG Sustainability in Supply Chains takes part in the RSC, a tri-partite initiative in Bangladesh that carried over all policies and protocols and the Bangladesh-based operations from the Accord Foundation on the first of June 2020. The BA represents the brands in the RSC board. For more information about the RSC please visit https://www.rsc-bd.org/en
The Brands Association for Textile & RMG Sustainability in Supply Chains is an association, representing Brands in the RSC board (Bangladesh) or similar organisations worldwide that deal with Corporate Social Responsibility related activities. The association is registered in the Dutch Trade Register (KvK) under No. 77541812.
Only Brands can become a member of the Brands Association. If your brand is interested to become a member, please contact info@brandsassociation.org
Amsterdam / Geneva, 25 August 2021
Building on the Bangladesh Accord’s progress, garment
brands and global unions reach agreement on new, expanded
worker safety pact
Negotiations between a representation of international textile retailers and the global trade union signatories to the former Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh have resulted in an agreement that continues legally-binding commitments to workplace safety in Bangladesh and promises to expand the program to other countries.
The new agreement, called the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry, takes effect on 1 September 2021.
Like its predecessor agreement, this is a legally binding agreement between companies and trade unions to make Ready-Made Garment (RMG) and textile factories safe. The renewed agreement advances the fundamental elements that made the Accord successful, including: respect for freedom of association, independent administration and implementation, a high level of transparency, provisions to ensure remediation is financially feasible, Safety Committee training and worker awareness program, and a credible, independent complaints mechanism. In Bangladesh, the agreement is already implemented by the independent national tri-partite RMG Sustainability Council (“RSC”) consisting of brands, unions and industry.
Key new features of the International Accord include:
Starting today, the trade union signatories, IndustriALL Global Union and UNI Global Union, will join along with leading brands into this new agreement. On 1 September, the Accord will announce the first wave of brands and retailers that have signed the agreement.
The Accord encourages all garment and textile companies to sign this agreement and join our collective goal of safe and sustainable RMG and related industries.
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Download the full text of the International Accord below
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For more information, please contact:
media@bangladeshaccord.com
Joris Oldenziel, Deputy Director
Bangladesh Accord
joris.oldenziel@bangladeshaccord.com
Joint statement between brand negotiating team and trade unions regarding the agreed extension of the negotiation period 30.05.2021.
Global unions and international fashion brands agree to 3-month extension of the commitments of the 2018 Transition Accord to allow negotiations to continue.
Ahead of the expiration of the 2018 Bangladesh Transition Accord next week, UNI Global Union, IndustriALL Global Union, and a negotiating committee representing leading fashion brands are pleased to announce that they have reached a tentative agreement to extend the current commitments of the 2018 Accord for three months as negotiations continue. This interim agreement must still be signed by the individual brands.
The Board of the Brands Association for Textile and RMG sustainability in supply chains.
The garment industry in Bangladesh has made considerable progress with regards to factory safety since the establishment of the Accord agreement in 2013. Significant investments by brands and factories, working in partnership with global trade unions, have transformed Bangladesh’s garment industry into one of the safest globally.
There is still work to be done in Bangladesh – factory safety is not a one-time fix, but a continuous process of inspection, investment and upgrade. Following Bangladesh’s High Court intervention and to continue this progress, the Accord protocols, standards and resources transitioned into the RMG Sustainability Council (RSC) in June 2020. International Brands, Trade Unions and Manufacturers all have equal representation within RSC’s Board of Directors.
The Brands Association was established in 2020 to represent international brands within the RSC. Until May 2021, the Brands Association consisted of signatory brands to the 2018 Transition Accord as part of the transition process.
Members of the Brands Association are committed to secure fire, building and electrical safety in the long term. We remain committed to securing the governance, resources and financing of the RSC, and to enable the RSC standard to become the industry standard to ensure worker safety throughout Bangladesh’s garment sector now and in the future.
The Brands Association is pleased that a tentative agreement has been reached to extend the current commitments of the 2018 Accord for three months to allow negotiations to continue. We will continue to work hard in the coming months to reach a future agreement that ensures secure fire, building and electrical safety in Bangladesh in the long term. The Brands Association remains open to any brand sourcing from Bangladesh which is committed to securing the continued high safety standards within the membership framework. We welcome members on this basis to enable any future agreement to become a textile industry.
The Board of the Brands Association for Textile and RMG sustainability in supply chains.
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