Landmark Worker Safety Initiative Launches into Pakistan

Announced Wednesday, the Pakistan Accord marks a new milestone for the International Accord, a legally binding commitment from brands to ensure worker safety in garment factories that had previously not expanded beyond Bangladesh.

The Accord, also known as the Accord on Fire and Building Safety, first launched in Bangladesh in the wake of the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in 2013, which killed more than 1,000 people and remains the deadliest garment industry disaster to date.

In August 2021, brands and unions agreed on an eleventh-hour deal to extend the Accord’s legally binding mechanism and open the door to possible international expansion to other garment-producing hubs. Voluntary commitments where brands are held liable for safety violations in their supply chains remain a rarity in the fashion industry.

Brands producing textiles and garments in Pakistan can sign the Accord from Jan. 16.

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Bangladesh Accord Expanded in Eleventh-Hour Deal

The landmark safety initiative put in place after the collapse of the Rana Plaza was due to expire within a week.