Corporate Social Responsibility: Bangladesh Garment Industry Analysis

This presentation examines the corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues within the garment industry of Bangladesh. It highlights the involvement of companies like Benetton, Bon Marche, and Joe Fresh, and focuses on the working conditions within the factories. The presentation details workplace disasters, including blocked emergency exits and the prevalence of child labor, as well as the use of toxic substances and poor worker treatment. It explores the lack of proper sanitation, the absence of a human resource department, and instances of physical and verbal abuse. The presentation then discusses measures to improve these conditions, such as labor rights, collaboration among unions and industry associations, and strict implementation of laws regarding gender equality and personal safety. It also identifies key stakeholders, including the government of Bangladesh, the International Labor Organization, and NGOs, and analyzes their positions and interests in improving labor conditions. Finally, the presentation outlines the actions taken by the International Labor Organization in response to the Rana Plaza tragedy, including the implementation of the National Tripartite Plan of Action and the launch of programs to support and improve working conditions.

The Garment Industry
Incident of Bangladesh

Clothing factory in Bangladesh
• The clothes in the
American stores were
manufactured in
Bangladesh.
• More than 4000
factories are there.
• 1400 workers worked
in teach of he
factories.
• They manufactured
shirts for Wrangler
and Asics sportswear.
The three garment companies that were sourcing from
the factories of Bangladesh are Benetton (Italy), Bon
Marche (UK) and Joe Fresh (Canada).

Workplace disasters in
Bangladesh clothing
factory
• The factory is not approved by
Walmart.
• Factory fires are deadly and very
common phenomenon.
• The emergency exit doors are blocked
by boxes.
• Child labor is prevalent in these
factories.
• Use of various toxic substance in
making the clothes.

Workplace disasters in Bangladesh
clothing factory
• No pay slip is provided to the workers.
• The workers are treated badly.
• Thousands of unauthorized productions are found.

Safety conditions
• No proper sanitation
• No role of the human resource department.
• Physical assault, verbal abuse were prevalent.
• Forced overtime.

Safety conditions
• Denial of paid
maternity leave
• failure to pay wages
• failure to pay bonus

Measures to overcome such
condition
• Labor rights
• Unions, industry associations and
activists should collaborate with the
factories.
• Urban planners, health workers
should also collaborate with these
factories.
• Laws on gender equality, well-being,
personal safety and housing should be
strictly implemented.
• Partnership with various mobile phone
organizations.

Stakeholders
• Government of Bangladesh : The government of
Bangladesh is a parliamentary democracy. Their job is to
look after the well-being of the citizens of the country.
• International labor Organization: They promote various
rights at the workplace and encourages employment
opportunities.
• NGOs in developed countries: They deal with the
environmental, advocacy, human rights and social work.

Interest of the government in labor conditions in garment
industry of Bangladesh
• In order to protect the rights of the labor.
• In order to uplift their all over well being.
• In order to provide them with the correct wage
on the appropriate time.
• In order to provide them with bonuses.
• In order to stop child labor in the country.
• In order to save them from exploitation, abuses.

Position of the stakeholders
• International labor organization
responded quickly to the Rana Plaza
tragedy with very high mission.
• Agreed to the terms and actions of
the government.
• it also agreed to the workers’
organization and the employers.
• These were introduced in The
National Tripartite Plan of Action on
structural integrity and fire safety.
• Launched a program for three and a
half year funded by the many
countries in order to support and
implement the measures of NTPA
and uplift the working conditions.

Thank
you.