The Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) think tank says that many of the survivors of the Rana Plaza collapse are worse off than they were before the disaster. During a recent policy dialogue hosted by the group, industry experts noted that while many affected families have received compensation payments from various stakeholder groups, most of

Union activists in Cambodia are speaking out against a controversial endorsement of a proposed labor law by Prime Minister Hun Sen. In a statement dated April 10, but released only last week, the Prime Minister praised the proposed policy, saying that it would strengthen the freedom of unions and crack down on the creation of

Over 30 Chinese textile plants that supply to many of the world’s largest apparel brands are now saving nearly US$15 million per year after adopting eco-friendly, efficient practices, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The announcement was made in a new NRDC report on their “Clean By Design” initiative that has helped the

Germany-based global athletic apparel brand Adidas says it plans to push its suppliers toward greater self-governance in managing their individual downstream supply chains. The announcement was made as part of the release of the company’s latest Sustainability Progress Report, which also revealed a new partnership with an ocean conservation group as well as a commitment

A major fire broke out at an Agra shoe factory on April 22 injuring 2 firefighters and 3 workers. Authorities say that an electrical short circuit sparked a cache of chemicals stored in a nearby warehouse and the blaze eventually spread to the main factory. This was the second major fire in the city in

Indonesian imports of man-made filaments and knitted and crocheted fabrics increased by 11.15% year-on-year during Q1 2015 to reach US$330 million, according to national statistics. Most of these purchases were made to support the country’s burgeoning textile and apparel industry, employs over 2 million people. (Fibre2Fashion)

Global fashion retailer Benetton says it will contribute US$1.1 million to the Rana Plaza Trust Fund, doubling the amount recommended by an independent assessment conducted by accounting firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC). This follows a previous contribution made by the company to BRAC for US$500,000. Benetton’s CEO Marco Airoldi says that while there is no real

The families of those who died in the 2012 Ali Enterprises fire in Pakistan were recently assured by a group of German lawmakers visiting Pakistan that they would be compensated by German denim brand KiK, who was a major buyer of the Ali Enterprises factory at the time of the fire. The announcement came after

The U.S. Senate has introduced a much-anticipated renewal of the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) bill. The TPA bill outlines U.S. trade negotiating objectives and priorities while allowing the President to carry out those negotiations with Congress retaining final approval authority on any agreement. This most recent renewal effort comes as the U.S. is involved in

A new report released by the World Bank says that Vietnam’s GDP is poised for gradual but steady growth in the medium-term future. The bank’s East Asia and Pacific Economic Report for April 2015 noted that Vietnamese GDP growth picked up to 7% in Q4 2014, contributing to a growth rate of 6% for the