We want everyone who is part of our supply chain to be able to work in a safe and healthy environment. We want to see from our suppliers that the building is safe and that measures are in place to prevent work-related accidents, injuries, or illness.

Unfortunately, health and safety risks related to the production of clothing are common in the countries where our suppliers operate. We therefore monitor our sewing factories on this point through our own inspections and independent audits and ask them to improve where necessary. For more information see Transparency and Responsibility. For more information about the identified risks and audit results, see our sustainability report for 2020.

In addition, America Today signed the Bangladesh Accord in 2013 and the Transition Accord in 2018. In the Accord, we work with the industry to prevent and mitigate potential negative impacts on fire and building safety at factories in Bangladesh. At our partner factories in Bangladesh, safety committees are trained and all employees are informed about safe working conditions. The factories also undergo regular independent audits for fire and building safety as well as electricity. Over the years, they have worked hard and carried out many improvements. The progress rate of the original and new findings from the factory audits is 97 or 98%, with 100% of the fire safety and structural problems resolved and 90–95% of the electrical problems resolved.

The Transition Accord was created in 2018 to help transition work in Bangladesh from the Accord to the RMG Sustainability Council (RSC), an initiative with equal representation of brands, industry, and unions. The Transition Accord expired on June 1, 2021. America Today is committed to continuing the good work of the Accord and has already applied for membership with the Brands Association, which represents the companies on the RSC. We would like to see a new agreement between the brands and unions, to maintain and further improve the current standard in Bangladesh.