On the anniversary of the tragic collapse of Rana Plaza in Dhaka (Bangladesh), the Foreign Trade Association (FTA) highlights the efforts undertaken by European retailers and importers to contribute to the improvement of safety conditions in Bangladesh’s factories. As real and sustainable changes require time, FTA stresses the importance of remaining committed and working in close collaboration with all stakeholders.
The garment sector is a major driver of economic growth in Bangladesh, leading to a decrease in poverty. The EU is Bangladesh's main trading partner and the country has become one of the major suppliers for the European apparel sector. As underlined by Jan Eggert, FTA Director General, the influence of trade and the European garment sector on the reduction of poverty and increase in social development in Bangladesh is unquestionable.
Still, the tragic incident of Rana Plaza has highlighted that building safety and construction integrity are chronic issues within the Bangladesh industry.
FTA strongly encourages all initiatives that aim to support Bangladesh to remain a strategic EU commercial partner by addressing the need for a more transparent and safer garment sector in Bangladesh.
Such initiatives are good for the workers, for the Bangladesh economy as well as for the European consumers. Free trade and sustainable supply chains are two principles that we consider key in creating suitable paths for the development of the country.
FTA Companies Strongly Involved in the Efforts of the International Community
FTA has been encouraged by the quick response of the international community to put in place coordinated efforts to improve factory safety and construction integrity. As one of the major supplying countries for its members, FTA has supported the Bangladesh National Tripartite Action Plan developed under the auspices of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and welcomed the Accord on Fire and Building Safety which brings together trade unions and retailers from all over the world to develop efficient infrastructure inspections and remediation measures.
FTA believes those responses can complement the measures taken by the Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI), the initiative of the FTA that supports over 1,200 companies to improve labour conditions in their global supply chains.
“FTA has encouraged BSCI participants to join the Accord and we are pleased that 40% of the total signatories are BSCI participants, which clearly demonstrates their commitment to this endeavour”, explains Lorenz Berzau, BSCI Managing Director. Furthermore, BSCI has also raised awareness and has invited its members to contribute to the InternationalRana Plaza Donors' Trust Fund that was recently established by ILO to compensate individuals and families affected by the Rana Plaza incident.
As a brand representative, Bernardo Cruza, Acting Chair of the BSCI Steering Committee, is also a member of the Rana Plaza Coordination Committee which organises the Arrangement of this fund.
FTA Involved in High Level Political Dialogue
Companies have taken their share of responsibility, but for a sustainable change to take place, BSCI called on all stakeholders to continue fruitful cooperation, especially national authorities. “FTA has called on the Bangladesh government to create the appropriate regulatory framework to fulfil its obligation to ensure workers’ rights. The new labour law adopted in June 2013 must be strongly enforced to give workers the protection they need”, stressed Mr. Berzau.
In addition, FTA has engaged in intense discussions at political level with representatives of the European Parliament and the European Commission. Dialogue has also taken place at the national political level with local stakeholders in Bangladesh.
BSCI’s Safety Assessment and Training Reinforced
BSCI has also placed an added focus on its system, adapting its approach towards Health and Safety criteria. The initiative has made its evaluation of safety standards stricter and has improved the alert system that notifies companies when labour non-compliances have been identified in the Health and Safety area. In addition, training activities for factory management were adapted to place more emphasis on fire safety standards in Bangladesh.
Eleven of these workshops were conducted in the country in 2013 in cooperation with the Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) and four more are scheduled for 2014. Lorenz Berzau, BSCI Managing Director, said: “24 April is a sad day and our thoughts will be with the victims of this immense tragedy and their families. The efforts which have been put in place over the past year are encouraging. A lot still needs to be accomplished, while commitment and close cooperation must be maintained to bring safer working conditions to the Bangladesh industry.”
