Update – fire and building safety in Bangladesh
Six months ago the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh collapsed. H&M was not a buyer from the textile factories in the building. However, we still have a responsibility, together with others, to ensure that factories are safe. Fire and building safety are extremely important questions for H&M and something that is high on our agenda.
H&M has an extensive sustainability program and have been working actively with these questions for several years. When we do, often unannounced, audits at suppliers, fire safety is an important factor. Read more about H&M’s work in this area here.
We also need to work with others to reach improvements in this issue. Soon after the Rana Plaza incident the Accord on Fire and Building Safety was formed, which is a collaboration of international buyers, trade unions and workers. We see the Accord as a great platform for raising the bar in the whole industry when it comes to these prioritized questions. H&M was the first brand to sign, and today we are happy to see that over 100 brands have signed up to this commitment. Independent inspections will be made by the Accord and the results will be made public. The inspections will be a base for plans for possible renovations and repairs of factories. Read more about the Accord here.
It is the intention of the Accord to work with all relevant stakeholders including the government in Bangladesh as well as members of the Alliance, to ensure a safe and sustainable Bangladeshi Ready Made Garment industry. Parallel to the Accord the government is running the National Action Plan together with ILO, to cover all other suppliers factories. These initiatives need to be aligned, and we need to work for a stronger regulatory framework on fire and building safety.
We believe that our presence in emerging markets has a positive effect. We see that the textile industry in Bangladesh has brought improvements for millions of people, particularly for women who get opportunities for stable income. The textile industry is the biggest reason for poverty reduction and by 2021 the World Bank forecasts that Bangladesh will become a middle income country. But apparently, when it comes to fire and building safety the collaborative efforts have not been good enough in the past. Now many stakeholder groups are involved, and our actions are urgent. We need to ensure that the improvements are real for the workers on the ground in Bangladesh.