Reflecting on Rana Plaza: The Evolution of Corporate Engagement on Human Rights in Supply Chains since the 2013 disaster

The collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh on April 24, 2013 killed more than a thousand workers and injured over 2,500. The disaster, one of the worst industrial accidents on record, raised the world's awareness of the terrible working conditions faced by factory workers in the garment sector and catalyzed a landmark effort to empower workers and hold global brands accountable for health and safety practices in their supply chains. The repercussions of the disaster, and the ensuing Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, have been felt far beyond that country and that sector. Efforts to reach binding agreements between workers and brands on a range of human rights issues have been launched in India, Pakistan, Lesotho, and the United States, and discussions are underway elsewhere.

At this event, experts from government, industry, and worker organizations will assess the impact of the Rana Plaza disaster and resulting efforts to expand corporate action to address human rights in supply chains, progress made in the last ten years, and what still needs to happen to ensure decent work for all workers in global supply chains.

The event will be begin with remarks by Kalpona Akter (Founding Member and Executive Director, Bangladesh Centre for Worker Solidarity (BCWS)).  Following her introduction, Marti Flacks (Khosravi Chair in Principled Internationalism and Director, Human Rights Initiative) will lead a panel discussion featuring Kelly Fay Rodríguez (Special Representative for International Labor Affairs, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State), Michael Bride (Senior Vice President Corporate Responsibility, Global Affairs, PVH Corp.), Scott Nova (Executive Director, Worker Rights Consortium (WRC), and Neeran Ramjuthan (Program Manager, Labour Administration and Working Conditions, International Labour Organization). 

This event is made possible by a grant from the International Labour Office in Washington, DC (ILO USCA).