The year 2020 will go down in history as the most unprecedented year this planet has yet to see. For the first time, it was unfathomable for us to predict where we were headed or what was on the horizon.
Though COVID-19 initially halted the rolling out of LABS processes, the program has seen considerable progress with sizeable numbers over the last quarter pertaining to process completion at factories.
LABS Vietnam achieved the “100 factories onboarded” milestone, further strengthening our belief in the factories’ acceptance of the LABS program; the progress is testimony to the collaborative success the LABS program has achieved through the years. It is imperative for all of us to collate our learnings and reflect on what is required by us in 2021 to transform and adopt the new normal, to evolve as individuals and leaders, and to operate businesses and relationships in this unsettled world. Please find an overview of LABS’ activities for last quarter in our latest
Over the past quarter, the LABS Initiative continued to engage and support the industry, with steady progress being made in Vietnam and much work being done through digital and remote technology in India.
As we embark on the final stretch of 2020, we continue to focus on mitigating the impacts of COVID-19 as much as possible, whilst planning for the future as well as we can. Though there is still much uncertainty, there is reason to think that, as public responses to COVID-19 mature, there will be more opportunities for work to continue. Upward market trends show reasons for (cautious) optimism, which hopefully can be emboldened with good news regarding vaccines on the horizon.
To state the obvious, last quarter was unprecedented. The apparel and footwear value chains were hit with a historic shock likely to reverberate for a long time. That said, we did see the quarter end on a more positive note. Vietnam has steadily climbed out of lockdown and restarted most of its economic activities, however the situation is more challenging in India. During the last quarter, the LABS team has been ready, remotely if need be, to support factories with the same types of services and guidance regarding COVID-19 health measures. Over the course of the quarter, factory visits and follow-up activities have started to pick up. We hope to maintain this positive momentum for next quarter although we will remain vigilant regarding the state of the situation.
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We hope this message finds you well and in good health. We realize this second quarterly LABS Initiative newsletter reaches you during a very difficult time. The COVID-19 crisis is impacting us all, and we are in touch with many of our partners to see how we can weather this storm together. In the interim, we will share with you an overview of the latest activities to date.
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We are pleased to present to you the first quarterly LABS Initiative newsletter. Since its launch, the program has made steady progress in assessing the building safety of factories. The newsletter provides details on the program progress since its launch till December 31, 2019.
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