Responsible Fashion: Why Global Brands Must Help Workers in India
The QuintA second challenge relates to the safety of workers in crowded workplaces. In crowded places like garment factories in India and Bangladesh, where health and hygiene systems are fragile and social distancing is extremely difficult, governments have wisely imposed strict lockdowns to mitigate against the spread of the coronavirus. However, hundreds of garment factories in Bangladesh defied the nation’s lockdown order and reopened, despite the risks to workers. According to Mohammed Hatem, Vice President of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, these factories have come "under pressure" from Western brands to meet export deadlines, and factory owners are fearful that they risk losing orders to countries like Vietnam or China. As governments reopen garment factories, brands should facilitate suppliers’ efforts to keep workers safe by helping to provide face masks and sufficient hand-washing facilities and ensuring that workers can maintain a safe distance from one another during work and break times.
History of this topic
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For global fashion industry, impact of coronavirus pandemic presents both crisis — and opportunity to recast itself – Firstpost
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