Major global apparel brands, including H&M, and unions have agreed to extend the legal pact for two years to ensure workplace safety in Bangladesh and other garment-producing countries, sources said.
The new agreement will come into force on September 1. All names of international brands and retailers that have signed the deal with unions, including UNI Global Union and IndustriALL Global Union, will be disclosed on the same day.
The fresh version of the safety pact is named as International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry. It will extend its coverage to general health and safety, rather than only fire and building safety, they added.
An official statement was also issued by Accord on Wednesday night, confirming the matter. The existing deal, known as the Bangladesh Accord, will expire on August 31.
The Accord was first signed in 2013 after the Rana Plaza building collapse that killed more than 1100 garment workers in the country. More than 200 brands joined the platform that inspected fire, electrical and structural integrity in about 1600 garment factories.
Clothing retail company H&M is among the major retailers that joined the new agreement.
In a separate statement, H&M Group’s Public Affairs and Stakeholder Engagement Manager Masarrat Quader said, “We are pleased to have signed a new agreement, called the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry, with trade unions and other brands to continue our joint efforts to ensure a safe work environment in the Bangladesh garment industry.”
