Skip to main content
Home

Main menu

  • Home
  • Why ETI
    • Why join ETI
  • ETI Base Code
    • Base Code overview
    • Base Code clause 1: Employment is freely chosen
    • Base Code clause 2: Freedom of association
    • Base Code clause 3: Working conditions are safe and hygienic
    • Base Code clause 4: Child labour shall not be used
    • Base Code clause 5: Living wages are paid
    • Base Code clause 6: Working hours are not excessive
    • Base Code clause 7: No discrimination is practiced
    • Base Code clause 8: Regular employment is provided
    • Base Code clause 9: No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed
  • Our approach
    • Membership
    • Programmes
    • Transparency
    • Meaningful Stakeholder Engagement (MSE)
  • Our expertise
    • Climate change & Just transitions
    • Crisis response
    • Gender equality in supply chains
    • Worker representation
    • Forced labour & modern slavery
    • Responsible purchasing practices
    • Human rights due diligence
      • HRDD legislation tracker
  • Resources
    • Guidance & reports
    • Blog
    • Case studies
    • Training
    • Events
    • Annual impact report
  • About ETI
    • Who we are
      • ETI's origins
    • What we do
    • Our members
      • Public reporting performance
    • Global presence
    • Governance
    • Our team
      • ETI Board members

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. blog

On ITV’s Exposure of Bangladesh garment factories

  • 7 February 2014
ETI News story image

Last night’s ‘Exposure: Fashion Factories Undercover’, broadcast on ITV, was challenging viewing. The one hour documentary took viewers behind-the-scenes within several Bangladesh garment factories, with hidden cameras capturing truly shocking labour rights abuses.

Since the Rana Plaza collapse last April, the world’s spotlight has been firmly focused on Bangladesh’s garment sector and the labour rights issues that plague it. But it is one thing to know these issues exist and quite another to see the evidence in the form of undercover footage. The hidden cameras captured appalling incidents of workers (in the most part young women) being physically and verbally abused by supervisors and managers. Other issues included allegations of child labour, fire exits padlocked shut, unsafe buildings, excessive working hours and workers being coached on how to act during an audit.

Difficult viewing it might be, but programmes like Exposure play a vital role in illuminating tough issues, such as labour rights abuses. Fashion Factories Undercover reiterated the need not only for a change in health and safety standards but in wider labour practices across Bangladesh’s sector. While there are examples of good practice in Bangladesh factories, last night’s episode highlighted that there is still a long way to go for the sector as a whole. A cultural shift must happen in order to address endemic abuse and discrimination and international brands must play a role in this. It is morally unacceptable that workers should spend their working hours in terror and fear, without safe channels for reporting discrimination and abusive behaviour.

The challenge is enormous, but not insurmountable. We believe the Bangladesh Accord and the International Labour Organisation’s programme offer the right framework for improving working conditions. But success is contingent upon the continued engagement of all players including global brands and retailers, trade unions and NGOs as well as the Bangladesh government, local industry and local employers associations. ETI and our members pledge our continued support to drive real and sustainable change for Bangladesh’s garment sector workers.

Stay up to date

Stay up to date with the latest from ETI via the following channels:
  • Email
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Blog RSS

Related content

  • Where are the women?
  • Joint recommendations for responsible business conduct in Bangladesh
  • Request for Proposals: Landscape Mapping and Situational Analysis of Grievance Mechanisms in the Indian Garment Sector
  • OHS training to RMG factory managers & supervisors
  • ETI support to RMG factory safety committees in Bangladesh
  • Developing a pool of master trainers

Get the latest

Subscribe to our email newsletters and stay up to speed on ethical trade.
Subscribe

ETI elsewhere

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Footer

  • ETI Community
  • Accessibility
  • Contact
  • FAQ
  • Jobs at ETI
  • Press resources
  • Security & privacy
Other ETIs: Bangladesh, Denmark, Norway, Sweden
Ethical Trading Initiative | Registered No. 3578127