Provision of safer working conditions for garment workers has always been among the topmost agendas for Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS).
Keeping in line with this commitment, VITAS and Sustainable Trade Initiative Vietnam (IDH) launched Life and Building Safety Initiative (LABS) on 6 August in Hanoi.
So, what’s LABS all about!
LABS will help the garment and footwear factories in Vietnam meet all local and international requirements on fire, electrical and structural safety.
IDH has actually built a set of safety standards that foreign brands and distributors expect from apparel and footwear factories in Vietnam.
Many brands like Gap, Li & Fung, PVH and others have been some of those brands that have helped IDH set these standards.
Supporting the initiative, Hoang Ngoc Anh, Deputy Secretary General, VITAS, said that VITAS strongly promotes setting up unified standards for factory safety applied by foreign brands.
VITAS also hopes that participation from more international brands will further strengthen LABS.
LABS is an effort initiated by brands and retailers to join public and civil society organisations and make a programme that intents to eliminate fire, electrical and structural safety risks in garment and footwear factories.