Bangladesh’s best hope for a reformed garment sector hinges on retailers paying the price for safety.
Nearly 40 retail companies that order from garment factories in the country have signed a six-page agreement to do precisely that. Last month, more than 1,000 workers died when a building housing several garment manufacturers collapsed.
The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh (pdf) lays out a new factory inspection program and calls for companies that sign to underwrite any renovations needed to bring their suppliers up to established safety standards. Here is a visual explanation of the accord:
