At last we hear from Walmart in relation to safety in its Bangladesh supply chain.
Published from Inside Retail.Asia
Walmart joins Bangladesh safety plan | ||
By InsideRetail.Asia
Walmart says it will conduct in-depth safety inspections at all factories in Bangladesh that produce goods for the retailer. The company will complete all reviews within six months and will publicly release the names and inspection information on all 279 factories. As a result, workers in these facilities can be assured of safer working conditions, it says. Walmart began more rigorous inspections under the enhanced safety program earlier this year, and will begin posting results of these inspections on June 1. Adding to this new level of supply chain transparency, the company posted on its website the list of failed factories in Bangladesh that are no longer allowed to produce for Walmart: http://corporate.walmart.com/bangladesh. A list of all failed factories will follow in the coming weeks. The company is also increasing the pace and frequency of follow up inspections in all Bangladesh factories, with visits taking place every two months to ensure both compliance and progress. "Transparency is vital to make progress in improving factory conditions, and by disclosing this information, government, workers, non-governmental agencies, and companies can benefit from this work," said Rajan Kamalanathan , VP of ethical sourcing for Walmart. The safety inspections are designed to provide detailed reports that allow the company to continue to make responsible sourcing decisions, and include:
"If we identify issues that cause us to believe that people's lives are in danger, we will take swift action," said Kamalanathan. "Preventing the kinds of tragedies that have recently taken place in Bangladesh will only happen if all stakeholders across the board set clear parameters and take action to drive real safety and compliance improvements." Walmart will also contract with Bureau Veritas to provide fire safety training to every worker in every factory that produces goods for the company in Bangladesh. In addition, the company is contributing $600,000 towards a project that empowers workers to have a voice in the solution. By partnering with Labor Voices, a company that communicates proactively and directly with workers to identify and share concerns inside of factories, Walmart will gain new insights for ensuring the safety of and empowering factory workers. |
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Miss Eagle's comment:
It is noted that the Bangladeshi government has moved to permit unionism. The government's previous stand was clearly a breach of human rights. Walmart is no respecter of workers' rights in its home country of the United States. Will it allow unionism in its supply chain workplaces and factories in Bangladesh or will it carry on like it does in the land of the unfree, the United States of America? What human rights will employees in Walmart's supply chains in other countries be able to expect? Why does no journalist - let alone an Australian journalist - ever question Roger Corbett in relation to Walmart matters and his role as a Director of Walmart?
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