BGMEA and Walmart converse safety and business potential

Recently the world’s biggest retailer Walmart and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) discussed business potential, safety, and various textile and apparel industry issues in a meeting held in Dhaka.

Bangladesh is an important supplier to Walmart Inc., an American multinational retail corporation and 30 percent of Bangladesh’s garments exports to the US went to Walmart.

To help address worker safety issues in the Bangladesh RMG industry, Walmart became a founding member of the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety in 2013. And over the last five years, Walmart associated factories have seen significant progress.

More than 340 active facilities with Walmart participated in Alliance or the Accord on Fire and Building Safety remediation programs, with an overall 96% remediation progress. As part of FY19 efforts, Responsible Sourcing associates participated in more than 200 visits to facilities undergoing remediation in Bangladesh and supported more than a dozen buying trips for business teams.

Walmart contributed $1.6 million to the Institute of Sustainable Communities (ISC) to support the Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Academy in Bangladesh. Through the EHS Academy, more apparel manufacturers in Bangladesh will have access to high-quality, affordable and comprehensive training on fire safety and environmental, health and workplace safety.