Initial inspection of all RMG factories by Feb 2024
The council has acknowledged that its operations were hindered by the Covid-19 pandemic and manpower shortages.
The RMG Sustainability Council (RSC) is hoping to conclude the initial safety inspections of all factories by next February to address its backlog, as stated by its officials.
The council has acknowledged that its operations were hindered by the Covid-19 pandemic and manpower shortages. Furthermore, entrepreneurs have been grappling with a challenging economic situation since the pandemic, as they must make additional investments to fulfill the Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) outlined by the Sustainability Council.
Official data indicate that out of a total of 1,913 factories under the RSC's supervision, 534 factories have completed all initial safety findings.
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The Sustainability Council, established on 20 May 2020 and registered with the Office of the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms in Bangladesh, functions as a safety monitoring entity in the country's RMG sector.
This initiative is a collaborative effort involving the Bangladeshi RMG industry, global brands, and local Bangladeshi trade unions.
Assuming the responsibilities of the local Bangladesh Accord office on 1 June 2020, the RSC manages safety inspections, training, and an independent occupational safety and health complaints mechanism for workers in covered RMG factories.
Abdul Haque, managing director of the Sustainability Council, informed The Business Standard that they have increased their manpower and are aiming to complete the initial inspection of all factories within the next 3-4 months.
Stressing the significance of the initial inspection, he emphasised that it encompasses assessments related to building structure, fire safety, electricity, boilers, and social compliance.
He added that addressing certain other issues requires attention, and to do so, the council is increasing its workforce for remediation tasks.
Abdul Haque also noted that RMG Sustainability Council's engineering team has expanded to around 80 engineers, up from half the number a few months ago.
Simultaneously, council is prioritising the simplification of processes and the adoption of technology while upholding safety standards.
According to the top RSC official, the initial referrals to the council were made by brands referring their supplier factories. However, currently, the BGMEA and the BKMEA are also directing new factories, without any business affiliation with RSC-signatory brands, to the council.
73 factories get Letters of Recognition certificates
On Wednesday, the RSC certified 73 new RMG factories by giving Letters of Recognition (LOR) as they had successfully completed all the non-compliances that were identified during the initial inspections.
During the occasion, George Faller, chief safety officer of the RSC said, "The RMG industry has invested major resources in creating a safe industry and is now promoting an awareness that continual efforts are needed to maintain those safety standards to ensure a more competitive business environment".
Among others, PRAN-RFL Group Chairman and CEO Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, and Renaissance Group Director ARM Shahidul Haque Apu also spoke at the event.
The officials mentioned the international fashion brands are now very much aware of where they source from, and they always prioritise the suppliers that ensure safe workplaces for the workers. The Letter of Recognition opens the door to new business opportunities which in turn boosts the country's economy.
This recognition is an important milestone in that journey. The advances made by this sector set the benchmark for safety in all other industries. The Letter of Recognition is not a certification of safety but rather a recognition to factories that have addressed all the initial assessment findings and in doing so great strides towards ensuring safety at the workplace. Achieving the letter indicates that the factory management has reached an important milestone in the journey towards ensuring safety which in turn makes the business more sustainable.
The RSC along with its stakeholders is proud to be a part of the journey that the RMG sector embraced towards improving the working conditions – a key for sustainability in the globally competitive manufacturing market.
Through the safety and remediation programme, the RSC has been able to create a culture of safety awareness in the ready-made garment industry, they added.
