German firm Otto signs Int'l Accord for Health & Safety in textiles

By signing the agreement, the companies commit to continue the progress already made in Bangladeshi factories in collaboration with trade unions and the national garment industry through the local organisation RMG Sustainability Council (RSC), and to improve worker safety across the garment sector now and in the future, Otto Group said in a press release.

The Otto Group was part of the negotiating team and signed the new treaty for a safe and sustainable textile and apparel industry.

"The new agreement is not only an important step towards further strengthening employees rights, but also towards preserving progress already achieved in the area of building and fire safety," explained Prof Dr Tobias Wollermann, group vice president corporate responsibility at the Otto Group. "In this respect, we are pleased that all stakeholders involved have agreed on this goal and encourage other companies to join us and sign the new International Accord."

Since 2013, the Otto Group has been continuously active in the Accord as part of its decades-long commitment to safe and responsible production conditions, which began in the 1990s, and explicitly endorses the fact that the new agreement not only includes all relevant stakeholders - companies, trade unions and national actors - but also opens up the perspective of extending the successful concept to other countries in the future.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)