Better Work Bangladesh

Better Work Bangladesh and the National Tripartite Plan of Action on Fire Safety and Structural IntegrityLejo Sibbel - Senior Design AdvisorJakarta - March 3, 2014

Friday, February 28, 14

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GLOBAL ILO/IFC PARTNERSHIP


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7 COUNTRY PROGRAMMES


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827 FACTORIES7 COUNTRY PROGRAMMES


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966,762WORKERS


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966,762WORKERS

60+INTERNATIONAL

BUYERS


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Name Type of Event Date Number of

casualties

Tazreen Fashions Ltd Fire 24 Nov

2012 112

Smart Export Garments Fire 26 Jan

2013 8

Rana Plaza (5 garment factories)

Building Collapse

24 Apr 2013

1,129 (not all RMG workers)

BANGLADESH: SERIES OF INDUSTRIAL DISASTERS


NATIONAL RESPONSE: National Tripartite Plan of Action on Fire Safety and Structural Integrity


National Tripartite Plan of Action (NTPA)

Three areas of activities:

1) legislation/policy (law reform)2) administration (Inspection)

3) practical activities (safety assessments of all active factories)

TRIPARTITE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENTIN RESPONSE TO TAZREEN FIRE

GoB endorsed on March 24, 2013/Expanded after Rana Plaza Collapse

Two objectives:

1) identify necessary activities

2) provide entry points for other stakeholders

- Implementation guided by National Tripartite Committee (NTC)

- ILO assists the NTC in the implementation and coordination of the NTPA.


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Government to Government• EU Sustainability Compact - 8 July• US GSP Action Plan - 19 August

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

ILO• Project: Improving Working Conditions

in the RMG Sector - 22 October

Private Sector (Brands/Buyers)• Accord on Fire and Building Safety - 13

May• Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety -

9 July


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GOVERNMENT TOGOVERNMENT RESPONSE

DRIVEN BY TRADE RELATIONS• EU Everything but Arms - threat of review• US GSP - suspended on June 27

FOCUS ON SIMILAR ISSUES:• Labour Law Reform (Freedom of

Association)• Government Capacity (Inspection)• Safety (Structural Integrity and Fire)• Transparency (Inspection results/unions)

UNPRECEDENTED ENGAGEMENT• GOB - Bilateral Partners - ILO (3+5+1)


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INTERNATIONAL PRIVATE SECTORRESPONSE

ACCORD:• International/national unions and over

150 brands/buyers - mostly European (H&M, Inditex, Primark) ALLIANCE

• 26 brands/buyers - all North American (including Walmart, Gap, JC Penney)

COMMON ACTIVITY: Assess and remediate structural integrity and fire safety of their respective supply chains DIFFERENCES IN APPROACH:

• Legal/worker engagement/financing


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ILO Project - Improving Working Conditions in the Ready-Made Garment Sector in Bangladesh

Five Components:• Structural Integrity and Fire

Safety Assessments • Strengthen Inspection

Capacity• Building OSH and Worker

Rights Awareness• Rehabilitation and skills-

training of disabled workers• Better Work Bangladesh


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Structural Integrity and Fire Safety Assessments

Commitments:• GOB/NTPA: all active RMG

factories (also in EU Compact and US GSP Action Plan) - 3,500 factories (BUET assessments)

• Accord: combined brand/buyer supply chain - 1,750 factories

• Alliance: combined brand buyer supply chain - 750 factories


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1,000

1,575

350

575

NATIONAL ASSESSMENT SYSTEMACCORD ON FIRE AND BUILDING SAFETY (1,750 FACTORIES)OVERLAP ACCORD AND ALLIANCEALLIANCE FOR BANGLADESH WORKER SAFETY (750 FACTORIES)

3,500 ACTIVE RMG FACTORIES


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ILO ROLE IN FACTORY ASSESSMENT PROCESS GOB/NTPA:

• Assist in design of process• Contracted BUET• Contracted ARUP• Will donate equipment• Facilitated development of

harmonized minimum assessment standard used by all three initiatives


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TRANSPARENCYCommitments:

• GoB/NTPA: Publicly accessible website/database (also in EU Compact and US GSP Action Plan). Content: inspections (safety, working conditions, union functioning)

• Accord: Publish assessment findings and remediation

• Alliance: Publish assessment findings and remediation


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ILO ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT OF DATABASE GOB/NTPA:

• Assist in design of Database• Contracted software

developer/user training/data entry assistance

• Bring NTPA/Accord/Alliance together to agree on harmonized reporting format and sharing of information.


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Q & A


Better Work Bangladesh

Business

Transcript of Better Work Bangladesh