"Left behind: How fashion brands turn their back on women in the Bangladeshi Garment Industry", 2018

Fair Action has interviewed eight garment workers employed at suppliers of H&M, KappAhl, Lindex and MQ in Bangladesh. Their average monthly income is € 73 , which is so low that it violates both the companies’ own policies and international conventions on human rights. € 73 is less than half of what they would need to afford proper food, healthcare and decent housing for themselves and their families....

...The low wages in Bangladesh have been known for decades. Despite Lindex and KappAhl buying as much as 40 percent of their total sourcing value from the country, the report shows that the companies are not doing enough to make sure that the workers can support themselves and their families on their wages. A key action point is to secure that freedom of association is respected at supplying factories, so that workers can raise their voices and influence wages. This is especially important in a country like Bangladesh where those who want to join or form unions risk retaliation from factory owners including harassment, abuse and even killings.

...About 80 percent of the workers in the Bangladeshi garment sector are women, and the fashion brands often emphasise that they contribute to women’s economic empowerment. But the report shows that H&M, KappAhl, Lindex and MQ are missing the opportunity to truly make a difference for women in Bangladesh....

The selected companies’ Codes of Conducts all cover wages and refer to the concept of a living wage but in different ways and with different wording. The four companies are stating the importance of a wage that covers the basic need for the workers and their families, but in practice the companies are only demanding from the suppliers that they are paying the minimum wage or the industry standard wage, which is far from a living wage...