Oxfam Australia has urged more Australian retailers to join an accord to improve safety at Bangladesh factories
June 11, 2013
Australian retailers Kmart and Target have announced they will sign onto an accord to improve safety at Bangladesh factories, after a building collapse killed more than 1,100 workers in April.
The announcements follow pressure from Oxfam Australia for Australian clothing retailers to
join
the Bangladesh fire and safety accord.
Oxfam most recently called for Australian retailers Cotton On and Big W to join the accord.
Big W last week announced intentions to sign onto the accord.
According to Oxfam, the Rana Plaza factory collapse is the most recent example of a series of similar tragedies throughout the past decade.
Oxfam Australia asserts that poor working conditions and hazardous factory environments are commonplace in the Bangladeshi garment sector and since the factory collapse more than 30 companies have signed onto the accord.
Oxfam has also called on clothing companies to publish the location of their supplier factories so they can be verified as safe.
Kmart Australia late last week announced it would sign the accord headed by the two international union bodies IndustriALL and sister union UNI Global Union.
According to Kmart, signing the accord is part of initiatives to ensure the safety of all factory workers who make Kmart products in Bangladesh.
Kmart Australia managing director Guy Russo says he has held recent meetings with Kmart’s retail team in Bangladesh, suppliers and stakeholders.
“We have also completed fire and building safety audits for all of our factories to ensure we are fully informed and can determine appropriate health, safety and building integrity initiatives for those who work with us in the Bangladesh garment industry,” he says.
Kmart has also announced plans to implement the following initiatives:
- Only factories which meet Kmart’s standards for safety and social compliance and share Kmart’s values will be awarded ongoing business from Kmart
- Investment will be made in programs with chosen suppliers to develop and embed a safety culture in each of the factories where Kmart products are made
- Kmart will support the national tripartite plan of action on fire safety for the ready-made garment sector in Bangladesh (NAP)
- Kmart will undertake further in depth investigations of each factory where Kmart products are made to ensure the long term structural integrity of each building
- A sustainable commitment to Bangladesh and all communities in which Kmart operates, initially through the charity, Room to Read.