Conformity to a specified standard is one way to describe compliance. To continue operating, the garment industry must uphold a set of norms or regulations. The working hours policy, holiday pay, the wage for leaves, equal pay policy, anti-discrimination policy, no child labor, health and safety policy, etc. are some of the common compliances demanded in the garment business. To provide a comfortable working environment, compliance adherence in manufacturing is essential.
To know more about garments compliance – how to achieve it, keep reading!
What Does Garments Compliance Mean?
Compliance is the act of carrying out actions or developing practices or policies in conformity with the demands or expectations of an external authority, such as the International Labor Group (ILO), a human rights organization, a global customer, etc. Product quality has been positively impacted by the regulatory authorities’ increasing standards, which are ultimately intended to improve patient and customer safety. Management must take the initiative in putting compliance strategies into action to encourage compliance.
The working environment in which the garments are to be produced is equally important to completely address the sweatshop concept and the code of conduct must be stretched to achieve the goals of social compliance issues if readymade clothing is to be exported. Quality parameters are important for the acceptance of the product as per the intended end use.
Garments Compliance – How to Achieve
The fundamental principles of international human rights, regional culture, and customs form the foundation of social accountability. The system’s main goal is to safeguard human rights in the ready-made clothing industry.
• Social Accountability
The working conditions of the company where the products were created are valued by retailers and manufacturers in today’s rapidly evolving global market in addition to the quality of the clothing. Both of those are equally crucial to boosting consumer confidence and developing more trustworthy relationships with providers. To satisfy customers and enhance the product’s social worth, a specific code of conduct that safeguards the fundamental human rights of the workforce participating in the trade must be adhered to.
As a requirement of the export contract, the reputable and dominant market participants in the clothing industry have put pressure on the linked factories to accomplish such goals. In the case that these conditions weren’t met, even the exports were either halted or canceled elsewhere.
• Code of Conduct (COC)
Reputable brand purchasers in major supply chains have taken these organizations’ guidelines and created their COC standards as well as acceptable standards.
The fundamental tenets of COC were developed from the tenets of international human rights conventions as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the International Labor Organization Conventions.
The Code of Conduct has nine important areas –
1. Child labor: Anyone who has not reached the age of sixteen is regarded as a kid, according to The Factory Act of 1968 in the Bangladesh labor code. The employment of any minors under the age of fourteen is prohibited by Article 66. The management of the factory agreed to handle this situation.
2. Forced labor: No instances of forced labor being used in factories were discovered.
3. Health and safety: Management is required to give sufficient gloves and/or masks to the relevant workers following Bangladesh’s The Factories Act, 1965, Chapters 3 and 4. Through instruction, they must be inspired to use such safety items.
4. Compensation: The factory must accurately record and pay all hours worked on payroll forms and time cards. This complies with Bangladesh’s 1937 Payment of Wage Rules.
5. Working hours: No one may work more than 10 hours per day and 60 hours per week in the factory. According to Bangladeshi municipal law, a 60-hour workweek consists of 48 hours of normal duty and 12 hours of overtime.
6. Discrimination: Recruitment must not be biased at the moment of hiring to avoid violating social responsibility standards.
7. Discipline: Verbal abuse, physical or mental coercion, and corporal punishment are not permitted in the industries and are not to be supported. Wages cannot be withheld as a method of discipline.
8. Free association and collective bargaining: All employees are entitled to engage in collective bargaining when addressing their rights.
9. Management systems: The management systems should be held accountable for garments compliance and they should ensure employee rights.
While adhering to the aforementioned requirements is required to fulfill COC, local culture, and governmental regulations cannot be disregarded. For instance, not all regions of the world may have the same restrictions on working hours and reimbursement for overtime. Additionally, the economy of the nation in question affects the minimum basic salary.
Businesses must look after their employees, listen to them, and give them the power to execute social compliance.
Why is Garments Compliance Important?
A rapid increase in demand for compliance-related executives has occurred at a time when the RMG sector is also experiencing a scarcity of competent labor. Both RMG and non-RMG industries are present in strong demand for personnel with the necessary academic qualifications and relevant experience.
A lot will depend on how Bangladesh’s RMG sector develops if it is to experience increased growth. In light of the new dynamics of the global RMG market as a result of rising levels of workers’ pay in nations like China, the potential for creating employment for new workers will also depend on the sector’s ability to grow unfettered.
Businesses that take social compliance seriously provide more sincere consideration to employee training and development, health and safety, and communication with management. Better job happiness, loyalty, motivation, retention, and finally productivity are the results of these efforts taken as a whole.
Conclusion
Numerous studies and analyses have repeatedly proven that a constant commitment to social conformity causes turnover rates to drop to as little as half of their prior levels. A company’s dedication to the moral and humane treatment of employees and commitment to social compliance may set it apart from its fierce competitors in the garment sector.