The revenue of the global garment, textile and footwear industry was calculated by Statista to amount to US$ 1.53 trillion in 2022. According to the 2022 data from the International Labour Organization (ILO), the textiles and garment sectors employed approximately 91 million workers globally.
This sector refers to the design, cutting and sewing of garments or footwear from fabric, establishing a process whereby raw material is transformed into wearable clothes. As highlighted by the Clean Clothes Campaign in 2021, the garment industry is highly decentralised and heavily relies on worldwide outsourcing, “but 60% of the global production still comes from Asia”. As 2022 data from Trade Map shows, China, Bangladesh and Vietnam topped market exports for the sector.
The UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) 2003 report highlights that “the garment industry operates on a model of buyer-driven apparel value chain, which contains three types of lead firms: retailers, marketers, and branded manufacturers. With the globalisation of apparel production, competition between the leading firms in the industry has intensified as each company has developed extensive global sourcing capabilities.” As reported by the Clean Clothes Campaign in 2021, this model has placed in precarity the global sourcing of apparel and resulted in pricing strategies that harm the viability of suppliers’ businesses, which was further exposed and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The garment, textile and footwear industry received increased scrutiny following the Rana Plaza tragedy in 2013, in which 1,132 garment workers died due to a building collapse. This followed the 2012 fire at the Ali Enterprises textile factory in Karachi, Pakistan, which killed at least 255 workers and injured more than 100. These examples are some of the more notorious human rights violations prevalent in the sector, however, a number of other human rights issues investigated and highlighted include:
Gender
Forced labour & Child Labour
Labour Conditions
Fast Fashion (Structural Issues)
Pollution/Climate Impact
Business & Multistakeholder Initiatives Focus
Remedy
Gender
Women make up approximately 80% of the workforce in the garment industry globally. Women and girls are subject to gender-specific discrimination, including gender-based violence, a significant gender pay gap, and a lack of social benefits related to maternity leave or job precarity for migrant women workers (See the Issue page on Gender & women’s rights for more information).
As BetterWork explains, “women tend to be concentrated in certain low-paying, low-skilled sectors such as the garment industry (…) and are often stuck in lower-paying occupations such as sewing machine operators and helpers”, with poor prospects for promotion. Moreover, the 2019 report of the German Institute for Human Rights emphasises employers often make them resign “in order to avoid the cost of paid maternity leave”, and notes that employers contract young and unmarried girls because they can be paid low salaries. Throughout evaluations conducted in 10 Asian garment-producing countries, the German Institute found in its 2019 report that wages for men were consistently higher than those of women, even if the significance of this gap varied across countries.
Migrant women experience specific vulnerabilities when working in the garment industry. Indeed, the German Institute found in its 2019 report that “it is estimated that women (…) with an irregular status are particularly exposed to certain forms of forced labour; their passports may be withheld by employers, recruitment agencies or labour brokers”.
In 2019, Human Rights Watch documented harassment, including sexual and verbal abuse, faced by women garment workers in factories across India, Pakistan, Cambodia, and Bangladesh. The analysis further highlights that social audits, intended to monitor conditions in these factories, fall short in detecting forms of gender-based violence, as these audits are not structured to offer a safe environment for victims of sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination.
According to the 2021 global estimates of the ILO, 50 million people are in modern slavery. Slavery is not confined to some regions or sectors; it is a universal issue and occurs both behind closed doors and in plain sight. (See the issue page on Forced Labour & Modern Slavery for more information).
Garment workers, often hidden deep within opaque supply chains, are subject to poor and exploitative working conditions, which, in their most extreme forms, can equate to forced labour. Issues of forced labour in the garment industry often arise from a strong pressure on suppliers to minimise costs and meet rapid delivery demands to maximise profits (see Fast Fashion: (Structural Issues) below). At every stage of the value chain, the garment industry is vulnerable to the risks of modern slavery and forced labour.
The Walk Free Foundation’s 2023 Global Slavery Index categorised garments as one of the high-risk industries, indicating that G20 members are collectively importing US$ 13 billion worth of textiles at risk of being produced by forced labour every year. By means of example, End Uyghur Forced Labour outlines the importance of the Uyghur region regarding the world’s cotton output (more than 20%) and claims that “Uyghurs are also forcibly transferred from the Uyghur Region to work in factories, including in textile manufacturing,… at least 1 in 5 cotton garments in the global apparel market are at risk of being tainted with Uyghur forced labour”.
Child labour is also a widespread issue across the garment supply chain. During the cotton harvest in Uzbekistan, over a million children temporarily miss school to help pick cotton in difficult working conditions (European Commission). Civil society organisations reported in 2020 that in Tamil Nadu, India, a prevalent form of exploitation known as the ‘Sumangali System’ is widely practised in clothing factories, some of which are sourcing regions for major brands like H&M, C&A, Primark, and Inditex. Under this system, girls aged between 13 and 18 are bound to three-year contracts in mills, where they endure exploitative working conditions that amount to forced labour (See the issue page on Children’s Rights for more information).
Labour Conditions
The textile industry generally performs poorly in terms of labour conditions. Labour Behind the Label reports that long hours, forced overtime, unsafe working conditions, sexual, physical and verbal abuse, repression of trade union rights and short-term contracts are all commonplace in the clothing industry. (As an example, see Myanmar Garment Worker Allegations Tracker)
None of the ten biggest garment-producing States in Asia have ratified the ILO’s Social Security Convention No. 102 (ILO), which addresses work-related social protection, including, inter alia, maternity benefits, sick leave and work-related injuries. Business Social Responsibility (BSR) highlights in its 2017 report that informality is estimated to touch 50 to 80% of the workforce in the garment value chain. This results in, for example, discrimination against pregnant workers or the lack of remedies for work-related injuries.
Work safety in the garment industry is insufficiently monitored due to the rapid growth of the industry and poor enforcement of safety regulations. Clean Clothes Campaign reports that most garment workers work in dangerous buildings and are routinely exposed to harmful chemicals. A study conducted by Solidarity Center in 2022 on the garment industry in Cambodia highlights the severe impact of climate change on workers: Most workers face excessive heat, frequent flooding, and pollution in factories, leading to illness and income loss. The ILO adopted a Code of Practice on Safety and Health in Textiles, Clothing, Leather and Footwear Industries in 2022 to address these deficiencies.
The wages in the overall garment industry “leave a family below the national poverty line”, according to Labour Behind the Label. It is estimated that less than 2% of garment workers make a living wage. For example, the Institute for Human Rights and Business reports that the recently negotiated minimum wage in Bangladesh in 2023 (US$ 114 per month) is significantly below living wage estimates (wages required to maintain a basic standard of living). The Corporate Human Rights Benchmark 2023 reveals that only 13% of reviewed companies in the apparel industry disclose a time-bound target for paying living wages across their apparel supply chains or include living wage requirements in their contracts with suppliers (See the Issue page on Workers’ Rights for more information).
In March 2024, the ILO reached an agreement on the calculation of a living wage, bringing clarity to the concept.
Fast Fashion (Structural Issues)
The term ‘fast fashion’ refers to “cheaply produced and priced garments that copy the latest catwalk styles and get pumped quickly through stores in order to maximise on current trends”. Businesses known for ‘fast fashion’ include Zara, Primark, Shein, and H&M. According to Statista, the global market value of fast fashion was forecast to reach approximately US$ 185 billion in 2027.
As stated by Earth.Org, in 2012, Zara’s lead time was 2 weeks: Forever 21 was 6 weeks, and H&M was 8 weeks. Clean Clothes Campaign highlighted in its 2021 report that “Many fashion brands, retailers and e-tailers use their market power to impose unfair business deals on their suppliers and fail to perform due diligence with regard to their purchasing practices. As a consequence, the suppliers cut corners on wages, safety, and other compliance-related costs, and they convey the price pressure to lower tiers in the value chain. Profit-maximising purchasing practices have the following structural characteristics: unstable relationships between buyers and suppliers; a profit squeeze through falling unit prices; and pressure through lead times and delivery schedules.” In order to cut costs and stay competitive in the garment supply chain, suppliers keep their wages illegally low, force overtime and have irregular hours.
Civil society organisations, such as the Fair Wear Foundation, call on companies to adopt responsible purchasing practices. To address the adverse human rights violations linked to the purchasing practices and business models, the European Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive 2024 requires businesses to make necessary modifications of, or improvements to, the company’s own business plan, overall strategies and operations, including purchasing practices.
Pollution/Climate Impact
According to the 2020 data from the European Parliament, the fashion industry is estimated to be responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions, with textile dyeing being the second biggest water polluter globally. 2,700 litres of fresh water is required to make a single cotton t-shirt, enough to meet one person’s drinking needs for 2.5 years. Coupled with the vast quantity of waste created by the average consumer—37kg each year, as reported by the BBC in 2020—and the consumption of 80 billion new pieces of clothing annually, as Earth.org notes, the environmental impacts are significant. European Commission’s 2023 data shows that 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste are generated annually in the EU, and only 1% of used clothes are recycled into new clothes.
As part of the circular economy action plan, the European Commission presented in March 2022 a new strategy to make textiles more durable, repairable, reusable and recyclable, tackle fast fashion and stimulate innovation within the sector. In March 2024, the European Parliament adopted its proposal to better prevent and reduce waste from food and textiles across the EU.
Business & Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives
Companies have launched several voluntary initiatives of corporate self-regulation, such as certification schemes, labels, social audits and multi-stakeholder initiatives, especially since the collapse of the Rana Plaza. The Sustainable Apparel Coalition is a “multi-stakeholder alliance for the fashion industry to reduce environmental impact and promote social justice throughout the global value chain.” Labels such as the Global Organic Textile Standard also play a role in safeguarding minimum social and ecological standards in the apparel industry. In 2017, the German Partnership for Sustainable Textiles was launched as a multi-stakeholder initiative, advocating for a textile and garment industry that respects workers’ rights, protects the climate and environment, and emphasises the implementation of corporate due diligence in Germany, Europe, and worldwide.
After the Rana Plaza tragedy, the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh was signed in 2013 as a legally binding Global Framework Agreement between global brands, retailers, and trade unions designed to build a safe and healthy Bangladeshi Ready Made Garment Industry. In 2021, the Accord was extended and expanded into the International Accord.
As highlighted by the German Institute in its 2019 report, if voluntary initiatives are a step forward, they need to “address root causes for human rights abuses more vigorously rather than only their symptoms. To achieve this, companies must recognise and use their own sphere of influence. A small but growing number of businesses are demonstrating an awareness that some of the root causes for human rights abuses lie in their own decisions”.
While these initiatives can be one of the methods to monitor business respect for human rights in the garment industry, the over-reliance of big fashion brands on social audits and certification schemes is another structural problem of the garment industry. A substantial body of research cautions against over-reliance on these methods, indicating their significant limitations and shortcomings. For example, investigations by Transparentem, which covered close to 20 garment factories and spinning mills in the garment sectors of India, Malaysia, and Myanmar, revealed the widespread nature of ‘audit deception’ in social audit systems. This investigation revealed that concealing young workers, instructing workers on what to say or falsifying documents are among the standard tactics to hide many abuses.
Remedy
According to the 2019 report by the German Institute, access to remedies for individuals within the apparel industry is characterised by three obstacles: firstly, the tendency for weak governance structures in production countries resulting in a high degree of judicial corruption, limited resources for investigation, and outdated criminal codes; secondly, the challenges associated with transnational litigation due to opaque supply chains and sourcing models; and thirdly, ineffective non-judicial State-based grievance mechanisms.
For example, in 2023, unions representing workers at Nike factories filed an OECD complaint with the US National Contact Point, alleging that Nike has contributed to severe human rights impacts for garment workers in its supply chain but has not addressed and remediated the impacts. In addition, according to the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark 2023, only 4% of the reviewed apparel companies publicly commit to remediate harassment and violence grievances in their workplaces, and less than a quarter require their suppliers to do so (26%).
In 2022, a legal case was brought against Tesco and social audit company Intertek with claims that Burmese migrants were made to work up to 99 hours a week on unlawful wages and in forced labour conditions at a Thai factory making clothes for Tesco’s F&F fashion range. Growing mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence legislation also provides new avenues to address corporate human rights abuses in the fashion industry. For example, several non-governmental organisations filed the first complaint in 2023 under the German Act on Corporate Due Diligence Obligations in Supply Chain 2021, claiming safety deficiencies and labour rights violations in factories producing clothes for international corporations like Amazon, IKEA, and Tom Tailor (See the Issue page on Mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence for more information).
Achieving a sustainable and responsible textile industry is crucial for supporting the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its associated goals (SDGs). As one of the world’s largest employers, the textile industry has a significant role in enhancing the economic livelihoods of communities, directly contributing to the goal of ending poverty (SDG 1). Ensuring responsible business conduct in the garment industry can also support good health & well-being (SDG 4), gender equality (SDG 5), promote decent work (SDG 8), foster responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), and advance climate action (SDG 13). For example, target 3.9 calls to reduce the number of deaths and illnesses caused by hazardous chemicals. Similarly, target 8.8 calls to protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants and those in precarious employment. To facilitate sustainable development within the fashion sector, the UN hosts the Fashion and Lifestyle Network, an online platform aligned with the SDGs. (See the Issue page on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development for more information).
What National Action Plans say on Garment, Textile and Footwear Sector
Belgium (2017 - open)
Encourages international framework agreements
Federal Government Action:
The Belgian NCP had issued recommendations for all companies active in the textile sector. – page 30
Strengthen and monitor respect for human rights in public procurement
Federal Government Action:
The Sustainable Public Procurement working group of the Interdepartmental Commission for Sustainable Development will examine how to strengthen and optimize the integration of respect for human rights in the procurement policy of the Public Authority. To this end, in consultation with the Public Procurement Committee and the main stakeholders concerned, including the sector-specific business federations, the working group will formulate a series of proposals with a particular focus on risk sectors such as clothing, the extractive industry, etc. – Page 39
Pilot projects are being set up in which the policy areas “Employment and Social Economy” and “Chancellery and Public Governance”, in cooperation with the purchasers of the various contracting authorities, will check the credibility of the supporting documents (concerning respect for human rights, etc.) and compliance with the basic ILO conventions. This is necessary in order to verify that the human rights criteria included in the special specifications are actually respected. In this respect, the Flemish Authority will focus primarily on the purchase of textile products. – page 41
Encouraging responsible supply chain management with a sector-specific approach
Context:
Following several accidents and tragedies in Bangladeshi garment factories, notably the one that occurred in April 2013 in the Rana Plaza building housing a complex of garment factories in Bangladesh, the NCP initiated a series of consultations and interviews with different stakeholders in the Belgian garment sector. As a result, it was decided at the OECD level to produce a due diligence guide for the garment and footwear sector. – page 57
The disaster in Bangladesh in April 2013 where a collapse of an eight-story building caused the death of more than 1.100 workers sewing clothes for western manufacturing companies was a dark reminder that huge challenges still remain. – page 6
2. The state duty to protect human rights
2.3 Actions taken
The Guiding Principles have proved to be an excellent instrument in rallying stakeholders for joint action. Using the Guiding Principles as the basis for a new Partnership for Responsible Garments Production in Bangladesh, the Danish government, business associations and enterprises have agreed on a number of detailed commitments to improve conditions within their sphere of influence. The partnership, which was agreed within the framework of the Danish Ethical Trading Initiative (DIEH), will be implemented in close co-ordination with international partners as well and stakeholders in Bangladesh. – page 11
Appendix 1: Overview of the implementation of the state duty to protect
GP3c: Whenever necessary, the government also initiates and drives multi-stakeholder partnerships based on the Guiding Principles. This year the government established the partnership for Responsible Garments Production in Bangladesh, gathering all the major Danish stakeholders with- in the industry and linking the partnership up with international public and private partners to achieve joint action. – page 27
3. Expectations towards companies and support services
3.2 Clarification of due diligence
As the consultation events organized by the working group, it was suggested that a new statutory obligation on due diligence should be established for companies when implementing the UN principles on a national level.
As a follow-up measure, the working group proposes that:
Companies, NGOs and other key stakeholders are invited to a roundtable discussion by branch of activity. For example, the discussion could begin with the forest industry, the consumer goods trade and textile industry. With the discussions, an attempt shall be made to create a dialogue amongst various stakeholders and to establish the essential risks for each branch of activity. – page 26
3. THE ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD)
France finances actions supporting the implementation of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas. It is also very active in the working group developing a guide for the textile industry, following the recommendations of its NCP in this field. – page 14
15. ECONOMIC SECTORS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Not only must the authorities promote and raise awareness of CSR standards, they must also require extra vigilance with respect to high-risk economic sectors, geographic areas and products.
PROPOSAL FOR ACTION NO.7
– Capitalize on the observations in the French NCP’s report on the textile and garment sector and begin promoting and adapting these recommendations so they can be enforced in all sectors. – page 32
The textile and garment sector
Following the collapse of the Rana Plaza textile factory in Bangladesh in April 2013, France’s Minister for Foreign Trade at that time asked the OECD National Contact Point (NCP) to clarify the scope of the OECD Guidelines with respect to outsourcing companies’ supply chains, and to issue recommendations reinforcing the application of these guidelines so such negligence could be prevented in the future.
The NCP report, produced following hearings with all parties involved, was submitted to the Minister and published online on 2 December 2013. It addresses all actors, and establishes a full range of measures which, once implemented, will enable businesses to oversee supply chains in this sector. The recommendations were shared widely, particularly with the OECD, ILO and EU, and were followed by similar reports published by the Italian and Belgian NCPs.
Following the publication of these recommendations, the OECD set up a working group to
develop a guide for the enforcement of the guidelines in the textile sector, at France’s
insistence. This working group brings together international organizations such as ILO, the private sector, civil society, NCPs and States. The guide will include reinforced due diligence measures to be implemented in this specific sector. The OECD has also planned to set up a platform for shared dialogue and good practices.
As for the EU, it has set up a multi-stakeholder platform for the textile sector.
The G7 included the issue of supply chains in the Leaders’ Declaration issued under the German Presidency following the Elmau Summit in June 2015. This was followed by a roadmap, which was adopted by the French Ministries of Social Affairs and Development in October 2015. While the scope of these initiatives extends beyond the textile sector, approved measures will initially apply to this industry. This is the case for the “Vision Zero Fund”, which will be created to reinforce workplace safety and reduce workplace accidents in producer countries. – page 33
ACTIONS UNDERWAY:
– France is continuing to raise awareness of the NCP report issued on 2 December 2013, and monitor the implementation of its recommendations in the French textile, garment and distribution sectors.
– France is helping to finalize the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector. – page 33
2.1 Ensuring the protection of human rights in supply and value chains
The Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, which was initiated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, has established an obligation to comply with sustainability standards and to guarantee corporate due diligence in the textile and clothing sector. All members of the Partnership are required to pursue its social and environmental objectives. They submit to a review process, which is conducted by an independent third party and is designed to bring about continuous improvement. Individual schedules of measures (road maps) are compiled annually by all members; the first of these is to be produced by the end
of January 2017. A robust sanctions regime and regular reporting on the implementation of the road maps will ensure credibility and transparency. The Textile Partnership creates a reference framework and an independent review system of international scope. – page 20
By means of the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, the Federal Government supports a multi-stakeholder initiative combining voluntary and compulsory elements. The Textile Partner- ship is designed to comply with the UN Guiding Principles. The aim is to have 75 % of the German textile and clothing market signed up to the Textile Partnership by 2018.
Germany supports the application of sustainability standards in host countries, for example through the regional project entitled “Social and labour standards in the textile and garment sector in Asia”, which covers three coun- tries – Bangladesh, Cambodia and Pakistan. – page 20
IV. Italian ongoing activities and future commitments
Responsible Conduct and Due Diligence in the framework of the United Nations, OECD and European Union
“Also within the framework of specialized agencies of international organizations such as UNCE/FACT the duty of care has been addressed in a structural manner by producing a Recommendation no. 46: “For the improvement of traceability and transparency of sustainable value chains in the apparel and footwear sector”. This Recommendation, aimed at supporting sustainable development through the promotion of business models marked by the adoption of the duty of care and to develop responsible consumption, was approved at the 27th Plenary Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Council in April 2021 and is now being implemented.
Italy has followed the above-mentioned process and will continue to provide its contribution to the international debate, taking into proper consideration not only potential risks depending upon lack of Due Diligence but also the factual impact of business conduct stemming from a scarce Due Diligence.” (p. 44)
Measures of the Government Promoting Corporate Responsibility to Respect Human Rights
1. Measures Related to Domestic and Global Supply Chains and Promotion of Human Rights Due Diligence Based on the UNGPs
( Existing framework/Measures taken)
With increased interest in responsible business conduct, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, which Japan adheres to, added a new chapter on business responsibility on respect for human rights in its 2011 edition. In addition, OECD has launched due diligence guidance specific to sectors such as minerals, agriculture, garments, and footwear. In 2018, the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct was published as a practical tool that businesses can use regardless of the sector. The Government has been engaged in promoting the above Guidelines and Guidance to businesses. – page 23
The economic sectors particularly exposed to the risk of human rights violations were identified, among others, on the basis of the national baseline assessment carried out by the expert from the University of Luxembourg. In particular, the study revealed a certain potential risk of negative impact of economic activities on human rights in the financial sector, the service sector, the information and communication technology sector (including the field of artificial intelligence and data protection), the hotel and restaurant sector, the textile sector, the agro-business sector, the extractive sector, the logistics sector (including all aspects of land, air and sea transport) and the construction sector. – page 17
Sustainable trade with and investment in developing countries
“Further strengthening cooperation between ministries and between Dutch government and other stakeholders can help ensure that the establishment of national, European and international sustainability frameworks and standards and their impact on and support of developing countries mutually reinforce each other even more (learning capacity for coherence). This is particularly important in specific risk sectors and value chains such as cacao, textiles and palm oil which have a significant Dutch footprint. In addition to a separate, permanent interministerial dialogue to be established, the focus will be on lastingly improving learning capacity regarding these activities, so that risks are addressed and mitigated.” pp. 46 and 48.
Pilllar II
Improving the provision of information to businesses
“… the Sustainable Clothing and Textile Agreement has set up an independent joint complaints mechanism. … Internationally the government will participate in the benchmarking efforts of the World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) on access to remedy by large enterprises in the agricultural, textile, mineral and ICT producing industries. These benchmarks are published annually by the WBA and indicate to what extent multinational enterprises offer remedy. Knowing and showing plays a role in stimulating businesses to get active in providing access to remedy.” pp 64 and 65.
The Nigeria NAP provides a list of existing constitutional obligations, domestic legislation, internation obligations, and police and administrative steps. This breakdown only looks at the list of challenges and the implementation of the 3 pillars of the UNGPs.
The Nigerian NAP on Business and Human Rights does not address the Garment, Textile and Footwear sector.
2.3 State ownership and practice for supporting the business sector
Responsible management
In 2014, the Council on Ethics reviewed a number of cases of human rights violations in connection with extraction of natural resources, agriculture, food production and textile manufacturing. – page 23
To facilitate and guide business enterprises in ensuring compliance with and supporting the effective implementation of the NAP priority areas and the UNGPs, the State of Pakistan expects business enterprises to:
In addition to the UNGPs, be cognisant of and guided by international guidelines and principles such as the (…) OECD Due Diligence Guidelines for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector, (…). – page 39
Among the actions contemplated in the Plan, it is possible to find the development and implementation of National Plans of Action for the implementation of the Guiding Principles. In addition, there has been much debate about the role of the company in the field of EU development cooperation.
Among other things, we should mention the Council Conclusions on sustainable clothing value chains, approved in May 2017. The purpose of these Conclusions is to recall the areas in which cooperation can work to improve working, social and environmental conditions in the textile sector, supporting the efforts of all the actors involved: Governments of producing countries, civil society organizations, and the private sector. it is necessary to mention the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development approved by Within the framework of the United Nations, Resolution 70/1 of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 25, 2015. – page 7
Several seminars have been organised on the issue of business and human rights. For example, in 2013 a national conference was held in the context of work on Sweden’s Policy for Global Development. Business and human rights was one of three main themes. In the same year, a conference on CSR was held in Stockholm. One of the focus areas was business and human rights. Dialogue meetings were also held in 2013 with businesses and civil society organizations on the subject of working and safety conditions in the Bangladeshi textile sector. – Page 23
2.1.2 Operational principles: legislative and information policy measures
Measure 5 Multi-stakeholder initiatives on business and human rights
The federal government backs multi-stakeholder initiatives that focus on human rights issues in sectors such as textiles, cocoa and gold. As these initiatives cover other subjects such as corruption and the environment, they are dealt with in Measure 10 of the 2020–23 CSR Action Plan. – Page 11
2.2.2 Operational principles: human rights due diligence
Measure 29 Public-private partnerships to promote respect for human rights in the value chain
To promote the implementation of labour rights and human rights by business enterprises, the federal government, together with the ILO, supports the Better Work programme for the textile industry and the Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) programme to support SMEs in creating decent working conditions. These projects are jointly run by the ILO, governments, the private sector and unions, and are focused on compliance with fundamental labour standards, including measures to combat child and forced labour. The tools developed by these programmes are shared with the private sector.
The federal government supports a project to promote human rights due diligence with a view to preventing the exploitation of Syrian refugees and migrant workers in neighbouring countries (Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan). The aim is to strengthen the contribution that business enterprises make to providing decent work opportunities and combatting exploitation in the textile, agricultural and construction sectors in these countries. – Page 26
The OECD has also produced a series of guidelines for companies that contain practical recommendations on the adoption of due diligence along their value chains. In May 2018, it published guidance for companies of all sizes that are exposed to risks in their value chains, irrespective of the sector within which they operate. Other guidelines are aimed at specific sectors such as the agricultural, financial and textile sectors. – Page 27
The collapse of Rana Plaza, in 2013, a building housing a number of commercial ventures including several garment factories, shocked the world and the implications still continue to reverberate over two years later. Over 1,100 people were killed and many more were injured. For the victims and their families the events that unfolded on that day have irrevocably affected their lives. Following the collapse, the British High Commission in Dhaka alongside DFID Bangladesh, have done a number of things to support the victims and try and ensure a disaster like this never happens again.
DFID Bangladesh, in partnership with Canada and the Netherlands, will provide a total of £7.4m to improve building safety and working conditions, empower workers and urge buyers to take responsibility for their supply chains
To date over 1000 structural, fire and electrical safety inspections have been carried out, nearly 200 new inspectors recruited and 299 survivors trained to enable them to find alternative jobs or start small businesses.
144 senior masters have been trained in health and safety, who will in turn train 7,600 supervisors that will themselves train over 300,000 workers.
DFID Bangladesh funding has also worked to try and ensure justice for garment workers, supporting a number of NGOs to file public interest litigation to protect workers’ rights, and increase awareness of worker rights. To support this, in 2015 the British High Commission began work with Global Rights Compliance and Action Aid Bangladesh to increase state, corporate, trade associations and trade union understanding and uptake of the UN Guiding Principles, increase accountability and reduce human rights violations in the garment, leather and tannery sectors. – Page 12
