New Wave Group AB Sustainability_report_2018_EN_HQ | Page 31

WORK IN PROGRESS
Work in progress at one of our sup-
pliers in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is
the world’s second largest producer
of garments and textiles and an
important sourcing country for New
Wave Group.
Many people associate Bangla-
desh with poor working conditions,
poverty and the building collapse
of Rana Plaza in 2013, which is the
textile industry’s worst accident ever
with 1 129 dead and many injured.
With the collapse in mind, the
importance of the textile industry for
the country is often overshadowed.
However, the fact is that the textile
industry is the engine in Bangla-
desh’s economic development and
has lifted millions of people out of
extreme poverty. As export business
and production grows, GDP per
capita rises, poverty decreased and
living standards improve. European
brands play a key role, both being
active in the country and by
working for increased rights for
textile workers.
ACCORD ON FIRE AND BUILDING
SAFETY IN BANGLADESH
In 2014, New Wave Group signed the Accord on Fire
and Building Safety in Bangladesh, a legal agreement
between buyers of Bangladeshi garments and factory
owners to work together for safe factories in the country
with focus on structural, electrical and fire safety. The
Accord has brought important changes that would not
otherwise have been possible in such a short period
of time, but still a lot of work remains. Therefore, a new
agreement has been developed that entered into force
in May 2018 when the first accord expired. New Wave
Group signed the new agreement in November 2017.
The Accord directly affects two million workers, making it
one of our most important social responsibility projects.
Read more on www.bangladeshaccord.org
SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
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