Abercrombie & Fitch Co. announced Friday that it has joined Nirapon, a self-regulating organization that oversees safety and training efforts in all the Bangladesh factories that its members source from.
Joining Nirapon is part of A&F Co.’s ongoing efforts to ensure safety improvements throughout its global supply chain. The company was among one of the first U.S. brands to sign The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh in 2013.
Nirapon serves as the single point of contact between its members and the factories on safety compliance issues. The organization monitors its members’ factories to verify that they meet the National Action Plan standards regarding physical safety and structural, fire and electrical audits. The organization also implements standardized training programs focused on worker safety and provides a 24-hour confidential helpline, Amader Kotha, available to its factory workers.
A&F said it works with vendors in five facilities in Bangladesh.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to being part of a long-term solution for continuous safety in Bangladesh, and we look forward to working with Nirapon and other member brands on sustaining factory safety improvements in Bangladesh at a local level,” said Fran Horowitz, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. CEO. “A&F Co. is committed to supporting meaningful industry-wide safety improvements, and the welfare of its employees and its vendors around the world.”
More than 20 global brands rely on Nirapon to verify safety inspections and training. Members include Gap Inc., Kohl’s, Nordstrom, Target and more.