Eminent experts join Alliance for Worker Safety board

04 Apr '14

2 min read

The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety is proud to announce the appointment of 12 Bangladeshi and international leaders to its Board of Advisors. Hailing from key positions within labor, government and academia, the Advisors will provide expertise and leadership to aid Alliance efforts to improve safety for Bangladeshi workers.

“We are honored to welcome these esteemed global leaders to our Board of Advisors,” said Independent Chair of the Alliance and former U.S. Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher. “The combination of their individual perspectives and breadth of expertise across government, women’s issues, labor and global development will help us implement our comprehensive commitment to a safer ready-made garment industry in Bangladesh.”

The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety Board of Advisors is comprised of the following:

-Avedis Seferian, President & CEO, WRAP

-Dan Glickman, Senior Fellow, Bipartisan Policy Center

-Heather Cruden, Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh

-Helene Gayle, President & CEO, CARE USA

-Melanne Verveer, Executive Director, Institute for Women, Peace and Security Georgetown University

-Mohammad Hatem, Vice President, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association

-Mujibur Rahman, Professor, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology

-Nancy Nord, Former Commissioner, US Consumer Product Safety Commission

-Rick Darling, Executive Director, Government & Public Affairs, Li & Fung (Trading) Ltd.

-Sirajul Islam Rony, President of Bangladesh National Garment Workers Employees League (BNGWEL)

-Sukkur Mahmud, President, Executive Committee of the National Labour League (Jatiya Srmaik League)

-Wajedul Islam Khan, General Secretary, Bangladesh Trade Union Kendra

The Board of Advisors will help guide the Alliance as it tracks implementation and progress against its aggressive goals, which include inspecting 100 percent of Alliance garment factories by July 2014, implementing a comprehensive worker training program and helpline, and providing remedial support for factories to address safety issues.

To-date, the Alliance is making good progress towards these goals. More than 40% of factory inspections have been completed, training programs are underway, the worker helpline will roll out to 50 factories this month, and the foundation has been built to provide important technical support and oversight of the remediation process so that factories can be upgraded and improved.

“We recognize the significance of Bangladesh’s garment industry to the country’s economic growth, and the jobs it provides its people,” said advisory board member Dan Glickmanof the Bipartisan Policy Center. “While the challenges in Bangladesh are many, the Alliance is making significant progress towards strengthening the working conditions in the ready-made garment industry and the well-being of its workers.”

Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety

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