Another four garment factories affiliated with Alliance have implemented their recommended corrective action plans to be fully compliant production units. The total number of factories that have implemented the action plans now stands at 32, according to a statement by Alliance, a platform of 29 North American retailers and brands working on factory safety upgrades. “We commend Park (Bangladesh) Company, Olio Apparels, Fountain Garments Manufacturing and Unitex International for their commitment to making their factories models of worker safety,” said Alliance Country Director James Moriarty. “Conversely, our suspension of eight new factories demonstrates that those unwilling or unable to address critical safety issues will no longer be welcome as partners in our supply chain,” Moriarty said. Alliance suspended business ties with the eight factories for their failure to show evidence of remediation progress; the total number of such suspended factories now stands at 91. To date, more than 57 percent of the remediation works have been completed in the garment factories that the Alliance members, including Walmart and Gap, source from, the statement said. Engineers of Alliance have been monitoring the progress in remediation on fire, electrical and structural elements after the completion of preliminary inspections in September 2014. Alliance member factories have already imparted training to 1.2 million workers on fire and building safety and set up hotlines so that workers can complain to government officials if any dispute arises. Alliance performs independent inspections on the structural, electrical and fire safety of all factories from which its members source. Each factory is then provided with a corrective action plan designed to help it address safety issues and achieve compliance with Alliance safety standards. Alliance also provides technical advice and access to low-cost loans to assist factories with remediation. Alliance was formed after the Rana Plaza building collapse in April 2013.
