LABS claims to play a key role in elevating workplace safety standards and championing responsible industry practices in key apparel-producing nations. Credit: Shutterstock.

The LABS Initiative, which aims to improve the life and building safety standards in the apparel, footwear, accessories, and home-textile industries, has reached this milestone four years after it first launched.

IDH said that following this achievement it hopes to expand the reach of its LABS initiative to “make an even greater impact in the future.”

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Its primary focus is to create safer working conditions for factory workers, addressing preventable safety risks such as fires, electrical hazards, and structural issues.

The programme includes factory assessments, safety risk monitoring, and the development of frameworks for mitigation and remediation. Since its inception in 2019, LABS has conducted over 465 assessments in factories, achieving a 77% remediation rate.

LABS provides capacity-building support through training programmes and technical assistance, enhancing the knowledge and skills of stakeholders in life and building safety.

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To date, the initiative said it has successfully conducted over 849 safety training sessions.

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LABS involves the active participation of various stakeholders, including global fashion brands and retailers such as Gap Inc., Target, VF Corporation, and Walmart, in addition to government agencies and non-profit organisations.

IDH’s global director for textiles and manufacturing Pramit Chanda underscored the commitment to creating a lasting positive impact on workers’ lives and instilling a culture of safety within industries.

LABS most recently launched its operations in Indonesia’s garment sector in May 2023. Before that, it rolled out across Cambodia in May 2022 and has been operational in India and Vietnam since 2019.

The LABS Initiative claims to embody a commitment to accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement within the industry and states it has made significant strides in creating safer workplaces and fostering responsible practices.

In November IDH along with cotton sustainability programme Better Cotton and CotontChad, which is Chad’s sole aggregator and exporter of cotton discussed the potential of launching a new Better Cotton programme in the region.