Developing country responses to demands for improved labor standards: case studies from the garment and textiles industry in Asia

Abstract

The challenge of upholding good labor practices continues to be the ongoing concern of labor activists, policy makers, international companies, and scholars. This chapter presents examples from three garment-exporting countries, Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka and examines the strategies they have used to address labor rights. Whether it is basic compliance with standards, a comprehensive trade agreement with clauses built in, an ethical clothing campaign or a multi-stakeholder initiative, countries engage with the approach that makes the most business sense for them. The emphasis on improving labor conditions in the global South has always been a narrow one with the focus at the locus of production. Research needs to understand, instead, how current business models and practices by buyers and brands constrain the ability of owners and governments to make substantial gains in the area of labor standards, in order to design interventions that truly make a meaningful impact.

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