49 apparel companies including H&M and Zara have signed the Pakistan Accord, a binding agreement to improve safety in the garment sector which empowers independent safety investigators to inspect over 300 Pakistani manufacturing facilities and guarantee certain health and safety provisions for workers.
Labor and human rights activists recently protested Levi's in Times Square, calling on the U.S. denim giant to sign the Pakistan Accord. Protesters reminded passersby of the substandard conditions and dangers that factory workers in places like Bangladesh and Pakistan still face today.
Activist leaders attempted to personally deliver a letter to Levi’s management but were turned away by store employees and police. Levi’s acknowledges the need for improved working conditions but contends that the best way forward is to rely on industry standards and third-party organizations.
The demonstration coincided with the 10th anniversary of the Rana Plaza building collapse that killed over 1,100 garment industry workers in Bangladesh.
The fashion brands that have signed the accord include European makers Zara and H&M, but American Eagle Outfitters and Calvin Klein parent company PVH are the only U.S.-based peers of Levi’s to have made the pledge.
Protesters are hopeful that Levi’s will eventually come around and sign the accord, recognizing that voluntary efforts do not work and the accord is binding.
