EU Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström to attend meeting of the Bangladesh Sustainability Compact in Brussels
Bangladesh | Brussels, 25 June 2018
Today’s event is the fourth high-level follow up meeting of the Bangladesh Sustainability Compact and marks the fifth anniversary of its signature. The Compact was launched in the wake of the 2013 Rana Plaza tragedy and brings together the EU, the US, Canada, the International Labor Organization (ILO) and Bangladesh. It aims at bringing lasting improvements to labour rights and factory safety in the ready-made garment industry of Bangladesh.
At the event, progress made under the Compact will be discussed as well as what work is still to be done. Discussions will focus on freedom of association, elimination of forced and child labour, enhancement of factory safety and support for responsible business conduct, which are areas where the EU and other Compact partners would like to see the significant progress made by Government of Bangladesh.
The meeting will start with an opening address by EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, the Bangladesh Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed MP, ILO Deputy Director-General for Policy Deborah Greenfield, Marcia Bloom Bernicat, United States Ambassador to Bangladesh and Benoit Préfontaine, High Commissioner of Canada to Bangladesh. This will be followed by exchanges on the implementation of the Sustainability Compact among its partners, workers and employers, manufacturers, retailers, representatives from other partners as well as civil society organisations who - with EU support - have travelled from Bangladesh to participate in the Compact meeting.
Background
The 'Compact for Continuous Improvements in Labour Rights and Factory Safety in the Ready-Made Garment and Knitwear Industry in Bangladesh' (the Sustainability Compact) was signed in 2013, with Canada joining later in 2016.
Since its establishment, the Compact partners have actively engaged to address labour, occupational health and safety issues and to encourage responsible business conduct by all stakeholders engaged in the ready-made garments and knitwear industry in Bangladesh. As part of this process regular follow-up meetings have taken place.
If you haven't registered for the event, you can watch it live.
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