It’s official: Bestseller , C&A, H&M Group, Otto Group, Calvin Klein parent PVH Corp. and Zara owner Inditex have signed the Pakistan Accord , the first expansion of the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Garment Industry beyond Bangladesh’s borders.
Now they’re urging the rest of the industry to join its “collective commitment” to boost safety standards at supplier factories in the South Asian nation.
“The International Accord aims to protect the health and safety of millions of workers while helping the industry achieve sustainable growth in exports,” the brands—all of them members of the International Accord’s steering committee—wrote in a joint statement Monday. “With the signing of the Pakistan Accord and our brands’ commitment to this new safety program, we are renewing our commitment to a long-term sourcing relationship with Pakistan.”
Collectively, the International Accord’s 187 brand signatories source more than $2.6 billion worth of garments and textiles from Pakistan. Brands will have to sign up separately for the program, which opened on Jan. 16 for an interim term of three years.
“The Pakistan Accord provides an opportunity both to increase the visibility of the efforts already made by many manufacturers to invest in fire and building safety measures in recent years and deepen and expand them throughout Pakistan’s garment and textile sector, making it an increasingly attractive option for buyers across the globe,” the brands said.
