BANGLADESH UPDATE

2018 Transition Accord


Matalan was confirmed on 1st September 2021 as amongst the signatories of the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry.


Like its predecessor agreements, the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh and subsequent 2018 Transition Accord both of which Matalan signed, this is a legally binding agreement between companies and trade unions to make Ready-Made Garment (RMG) and textile factories safe. The renewed agreement advances the fundamental elements that made the Accord successful, including: respect for freedom of association, independent administration and implementation, a high level of transparency, provisions to ensure remediation is financially feasible, Safety Committee training and worker awareness program, and a credible, independent complaints mechanism. In Bangladesh, the agreement is already implemented by the independent national tri-partite RMG Sustainability Council (“RSC”) consisting of brands, unions and industry.


Key new features of the International Accord include:


  • A commitment to focus on the health and safety programme in Bangladesh, and on building a credible industry wide compliance and accountability mechanism;
  • A commitment to expand the work of the International Accord based on feasibility studies;
  • An option to expand the scope of the agreement to address human rights due diligence; An optional streamlined arbitration process to enforce the Accord’s terms


    • We look forward to continued collaboration with the International Accord and similar organisations as we constantly look for ways of further improving health and safety in our factories.

    School of Hope


    Matalan is working with Hope Worldwide Bangladesh and PDS Group to provide opportunities and a brighter future to children in Bangladesh with the School of Hope. Through the programme, which aims to educate, empower and inspire children in Bangladesh, Matalan is helping them to build a better future for them and their families.

    Rana Plaza Statement


    Matalan had a short trial period with the Rana Plaza factory but decided not to use the premises. We stopped working there several weeks before the tragedy occurred in 2013.


    As soon as we heard about the Rana Plaza incident, we put in motion a number of plans to help those families involved and enhance their long-term financial security.


    We worked in partnership with BRAC to provide a number of measures to financially support the families involved in the Rana Plaza incident.


    We provided medical insurance cover, as we wanted to help to prevent families from going into further debt and to ensure that the cost of any medical care will be taken care of for the five years following the tragedy. Also in partnership with BRAC, we contributed to a Monthly Reserve Fund to provide a regular income for the living needs of families.


    In the two years since the tragedy, we have continued to drive forward our corporate social responsibility programme, investing in initiatives at home and abroad to improve how we work and the experience of those who work with us.


    Part of this was opening the School of Hope in Bangladesh, which we’ve done with some of our partners, Hope Worldwide Bangladesh and PDS Group. The school aims to educate, empower and inspire children and young adults in Dhaka, Bangladesh, helping them to build a better future for them and their families.

    matalan