Deepening partnerships with stakeholders – including brands and retailers – is crucial for transformations within global supply chains. Brands and retailers together with factory management and workers contribute to the success of LABS Initiative by spearheading safety improvements across Tier 1 factories through a collaborative approach with their sourcing factories.
LABS created a framework for factory-safety issue remediation, designed collectively with global brands and retailers financing the program. Engaging with brands and retailers ensures responsible sourcing from associated factories – steering and accelerating safer working conditions, enhancing industry-wide accountability and transparency, and reducing duplication of efforts across factories via harmonized standards and coordinated monitoring.
LABS’ work on factory safety complements government regulations to align factory-safety regulations with international best practices. This also promotes joint capacity building with governments to adapt LABS standards at the national level.
Key elements of LABS engagement include:
As a brand and retailer member, you leverage tools to monitor and drive impact.
Throughout the journey with LABS, the Brand Participants are constantly updated by LABS Team on the progress of their associated factories by:
LABS Initiative promotes safer working conditions for factory workers in the apparel and footwear industry by working towards mitigating risks related to structural, fire, and electrical safety in the factories through regular assessments and providing a framework for monitoring and remediation.
Being a part of the LABS Initiative allows your factory to be seen by all LABS Brand Participants. This could be an opportunity to not only increase business with current customers, but also provide exposure to new, socially-responsible brands.
LABS assessments and training on structural, fire, and electrical safety help the factory improve their overall operational performance and mitigate life threatening risks. This also results in rediced material losses and improving working relations in the factory.
By partnering with the LABS Initiative, you establish yourself as a responsible and socially conscious organization.
Based on research done in key apparel manufacturing countries including Vietnam, India, and Pakistan, It has been established that investing in prevention does "pay off". As per a 2016 study* conducted by Textile Industry Sustainaibility Forum, there is a robust return on investments for safety.
*Implementation of Social Standards Support Programme to the Textile and Garment Industry in Punjab executed by The Labour and Human Resource Department-Government of Punjab in Pakistan, Commissioned by German Federal Foreign Office.
By participating in the LABS Initiative, brands and retailers proactively engage in assessing associated factories for structural, fire, and electrical-safety standards and demonstrate their dedication to responsible sourcing. Moreover, by joining this collaborative effort within the industry, brands benefit from adhering to harmonized standards and coordinated monitoring, resulting in increased efficiency and the ability to create safer working environments.
Get in touch with us to learn how you can join the LABS program.