News

A report that Walmart is still receiving garments from at least two Bangladeshi factories on its own banned list raises more disturbing questions about the company's reasons for refusing to sign the IndustriALL/UNI backed Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh.

The Head of UNI Commerce Alke Boessiger said, “It shows once again that Walmart cannot be trusted. The company is either irresponsible or incompetent, or both. In any case Walmart is not helping the Bangladeshi garment workers by going it alone and developing a safety plan where there is no accountability and which is not legally binding."

The story comes from Michael Grabell of the public interest media Pro Publica, citing U.S. customs records and various interviews. Read Grabell’s article in full here

The suspect shipments underline Walmart’s inability to monitor its own supply chain and the necessity of it, GAP and other U.S brands signing up to the Bangladesh Accord. The safety deal came in the wake of the Rana Plaza tragedy which claimed more than 1,100 lives. 50 major global retailers signed the Accord and are now working on the implementation plan to get more trained inspectors on the ground in Bangladesh.