Levi Strauss & Co. has signed a legal agreement to ensure the safety of garment workers in Pakistan, the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) said. The American denim brand is the 129th signatory of the Pakistan agreement.
The Pakistan Agreement, which will come into effect in 2023, is a legally binding agreement between fashion brands and trade unions. The aim of the agreement is to make Pakistan’s notoriously dangerous garment sector safer. The Pakistan agreement was reached after the deadly collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh in 2013.
With this agreement, Levi’s now allows independent safety inspections to monitor employee welfare compliance in Pakistan. The company shows that it is taking steps towards respecting the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (abbreviated as CSDDD or CS3D). This directive obliges large companies to implement environmental considerations, climate measures and human rights in their business operations.
Edgar Romney, Secretary-Treasurer of the Workers United-SEIU union, shared: “Workers United applauds Levi’s decision to join this life-saving program. For far too long, workers in Pakistan who make Levi’s products have risked their lives simply by to work. In the future, these workers will enjoy crucial safety protections and they and their unions will be able to play a central role in safety inspections and the factory recovery process. Importantly, the agreement also protects workers’ right to freedom of association regarding health and safety, allowing employees to speak out about safety risks without fear of retaliation. We congratulate the company for showing a commitment to making its supplier factories in Pakistan safe, and we urge the company to do the same. do in Bangladesh.”
Levi Strauss & Co. has not yet responded to FashionUnited’s request for comment.
Source: fashionunited.nl
