Transition of Operations in Bangladesh from Accord to RSC

On 14 January 2020, Representatives of the BGMEA and the Steering Committee of the Accord
on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh signed an agreement on transition to RMG
Sustainability Council. Therefore, on 1 June 2020 the RSC has inherited the operations, staff,
policies and infrastructure of the local Bangladesh Accord office. The RSC is now equipped to
implement health and safety inspections and remediation monitoring, safety training and safety
complaints handling functions. The RSC is committed to making key aspects of the programme
publicly available, including initial inspection reports and remediation progress through up-to-
date CAPs.

Through the work of the RSC, covered factories will be able to complete their existing CAPs and
ensure that all outstanding safety issues are remediated and verified as correctly fixed, and that
the labour-management Safety Committees in the factories are equipped and empowered to
monitor and address workplace safety on a daily basis.

The RSC will operate within the regulatory framework of the laws of Bangladesh, closely co-
operating with and supporting the relevant regulatory agencies of the Government of
Bangladesh.

VISION

Empowering all our customers with a comprehensive safety and compliance system driven by a
customer-centric and solution-oriented approach, remaining relevant in an ever-evolving
landscape through continuous improvement, transparency and integrity.

AIM

It is our aim to maintain and create a safe and trustable RMG industry as the preferred
production source for international fashion business promoting development and employment in
matters of safety.

MISSION

To make and keep RMG and Textile Industry safe and Compliant.

OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of the RSC are:

1. To promote, govern and oversee the implementation of Occupational Safety and Health
standards and to verify the compliance with applicable safety standards in the RMG and
related industries in Bangladesh especially in the areas of Structural Integrity, Electrical
Safety, Fire & Life Safety and Boiler Safety.
 2. To conduct inspections in the areas of structural, electrical, fire & life safety and boiler
safety as well as inspections to investigate safety complaints, and special inspections
following Safety Committee findings and industrial accidents, and eventually regarding
industrial relations, skills development, and environmental standards; to monitor, verify
and recognise remediation.
3. To maintain and further develop an extensive fire and building safety training programme
to provide extensive and detailed training on Occupational Safety and Health in the
factories.
4. To cover effective safety procedures and precautions, as well as enable workers to voice
concerns and actively participate in activities to ensure their own safety and to develop a
depository of know-how and information regarding existing safety hazards for the
industry.
5. To promote, adopt and require compliance with existing or future national and
international laws, regulations and standards for fire and building safety applicable for
the RMG and other industries in Bangladesh, also through relationships with national and
international stakeholders.
6. To maintain and further develop a publicly accessible database with regularly updated
aggregated list of all suppliers in Bangladesh with specific details about factory safety
standards, inspection reports, remediation status and other relevant non-competitive
issues.
7. To supervise exporting RMG industry and related factories and permanently monitor
safety, compliance, and sustainability of existing and new factories and to provide
recognition of safe workplaces for garment employers and employees.
8. To maintain and further develop a worker complaint mechanism operating with
independence and free from interference from in-and-outside RSC, ensuring that workers
from factories can raise concerns about safety and health risks in a timely fashion, safely
and confidentially. To provide for quick and effective remedy protecting anonymity, real
and perceived impartiality, protection from reprisal and independent decision-making in
complaint resolutions.
9. To promote better Industrial Relations (IR), Skills Development, Welfare and
Environmental Sustainability, Pollution Control, and other Climate Positive Initiatives.
10. To appoint qualified Safety Officers and support staff as required to implement the RSC
programme, and to appoint a Board of Directors, Advisory Council, an Executive
Committee and other necessary subcommittees to support the RSC governance and
implementation of its programmes.

RSC Key Features

 Brands are in legal agreement with Unions and have a commitment to ensure safety
remediation of their producing business partners is financially feasible and completed
 Transparent escalation process for Non-compliant Factories
 World-class permanent national initiative for garment factory Safety Inspections &
Remediation Programmes
 Full public disclosure of inspection reports & corrective action plans
 Safety Committee and Safety Training Programme delivered by NEBOSH certified
trainers
 Impartial Worker Occupational Safety and Health Complaints Mechanism
 Protection against retaliation for reporting safety-related matters
 Protection of right to refuse unsafe work
 Ongoing promotion of Right to Freedom of Association (FoA) to advance safety
 Training and Complaints Protocol to cover (FoA) rights
 Optional listing of home textiles and fabric & knit accessory suppliers
 Boiler Safety Inspection Programme