Changes in the Governance of Garment Global Production Networks: Lead Firm, Supplier and Institutional Responses to the Rana Plaza Disaster - Interim Report

This interim report summarizes leading garment brands and retailers’ response to the Rana Plaza disaster in 2013 comprising individual firm actions and collective initiatives, as well as key changes experienced by Bangladeshi workers and Bangladeshi factory managers in the years following the Rana Plaza disaster. We present findings based on original survey and interview data from Bangladeshi workers, factory managers and global garment brands and retailers. Our worker survey provides a unique insight into workers’ perceptions of the changes brought by the Accord and Alliance in Bangladesh. We report on improvements perceived by workers, as well as areas where they note little change. Factory managers describe a transformation of safety culture, but also serious concerns regarding the financial implications of this transformation which they claim has mainly been borne by suppliers rather than buyers. Finally, we outline the key trends and challenges in the labour governance practices of global brands and retailers identified by our research.