Success Stories

IMG20200720133302 (Edited resize)

Women take on Leadership in Safety, Despite Hurdles

Women take on a greater role in the union, despite challenges

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Indonesian Garment Factory Staff Make Personal Mission to Encourage Vaccination of Fellow Workers

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Bangladesh
BetterWorkJordan
Cambodia
compliance
Ethiopia
Haiti
Indonesia
Jordan
Nicaragua
Vietnam

Women take on Leadership in Safety, Despite Hurdles

April 28, 2022

Women take on Leadership in Safety, Despite Hurdles

Sri Tentrem smiled broadly as she shared her story about her experience working in labour unions. She wore a sky-blue vest emblazoned with a bold “SPN,” the abbreviation for her union, on the left side, accompanied by a red-and-white Indonesian flag on the right.

March 8, 2022

Women take on a greater role in the union, despite challenges

When COVID-19 vaccines were first available in early 2021 in Indonesia, Human Resource Supervisor Eltruidis Widyarsanti had to scramble to secure vaccines for the hundreds of employees at the garment factory she oversaw in Semarang, Central Java.

February 21, 2022

Indonesian Garment Factory Staff Make Personal Mission to Encourage Vaccination of Fellow Workers

Helping Women Workers Manage Cultural and Professional Barriers in Pakistan

February 10, 2022

Helping Women Workers Manage Cultural and Professional Barriers in Pakistan

Becoming an agent of change - one woman’s experience

February 4, 2022

Becoming an agent of change – one woman’s experience

Workers take initiative to lead COVID-19 culture change

February 4, 2022

Workers take initiative to lead COVID-19 culture change

The initiative aimed to not only protect workers and businesses from COVID-19 impacts, but to build a culture of prevention regarding OSH in the workplace, strengthening networks among workers and employers in the garment sector and surrounding communities.

January 21, 2022

ILO, German Government wrap up landmark project granting 2 million USD in wage subsidies, compensation and vaccinations to workers in Indonesia

Covid Recovery Fund Bolsters Laid-Off Workers To Stay Afloat

January 13, 2022

Covid Recovery Fund Bolsters Laid-Off Workers To Stay Afloat

When her father abandoned her sick mother and a sister, Runia Akhter made it her life's mission to build a future for the three of them through hard work and perseverance.

January 10, 2022

A young sewing operator realises her potential, one step at a time

Sustainability and Outlook for the Haitian Garment Sector - Virtual business forum

December 6, 2021

Better Work Haiti hosts business forum; stakeholders and investors talk challenges facing sector, shared solutions

An initiative to support and empower garment workers to improve their mental health.

November 8, 2021

Healthy minds matter: New programme aims to engage, educate garment workers on World Mental Health Day and beyond

The story of Maya Aktar, a Bangladeshi worker in Jordan.

September 30, 2021

From receptionist to union organizer : Maya Aktar’s dream of empowerment comes true in Jordan

Positive change for sustainable growth: How one factory has adapted to the new Vietnam Labour Code

August 4, 2021

Positive change for sustainable growth: How one factory has adapted to the new Vietnam Labour Code

Vaccination campaigns targeting garment workers are at the forefront of COVID-19 mitigation efforts in several of the world’s major manufacturing countries.

August 2, 2021

Protecting workers, protecting business: Vaccination campaigns in the garment sector

Better Work Haiti trained doctors in factories on COVID-19.

June 7, 2021

Supporting 48 doctors to prevent COVID-19

Better Work Ethiopia in consultation with key partners produces educational materials to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

June 7, 2021

Educational content to change behaviours during the crisis

The challenges of setting up a new programme during the pandemic.

June 7, 2021

Setting up a new country programme during a global pandemic

Training MoLVT Officials to scale impact in the prevention of COVID-19

June 7, 2021

Leadership during the pandemic

Ensuring Occupational Safety and Health in Bangladesh’s RMG sector in the time of COVID-19

April 28, 2021

World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2021

Workers and management have shouldered the shared responsibility to keep everyone safe and their livelihoods afloat in Indonesia.

April 28, 2021

Workers, managers and union leaders share responsibility in the fight against COVID-19

Bridging The Gap - Building Bridges highlights the journey of Ms. Sotheary, her role in the frontline during the pandemic as a trainer, and how the Building Bridges Programmes have improved her working ways.

April 26, 2021

Bridging The Gap – Building Bridges

The story of Hanadi Osama

April 22, 2021

A Jordanian woman’s quest for personal development pays off

The story of Ngoc Khong

April 1, 2021

GEAR in Vietnam: Empowering women for greater leadership

Leadership in the age of the Pandemic

March 23, 2021

Leadership in the age of the Pandemic

A Story of Mahmoud Tahrawi who lost his business to COVID-19, but not his resolve.

February 25, 2021

Jordanian worker fights back against COVID-19 impacts

Factories started producing PPE in response to the COVID-19 crisis and as an opportunity to keep business continuity.

January 18, 2021

From clothing production to PPE manufacturing: factories pivot during the pandemic

Better Work Egypt has sailed with the export-oriented garment industry through the worst of a months-long coronavirus slowdown.

November 19, 2020

Better Work Egypt supports local industry as business returns to the country

A new 3 year study shows improvements for workers and business in GAP factories.

November 12, 2020

Impacts on the Shop Floor: Better Work and Gap Inc. Partner for Progress

Better Work response to COVID-19 pandemic in our country programmes.

October 21, 2020

Action in the time of COVID-19: worker outreach and the way forward

Key findings on the results from a broad independent impact assessment study conducted by Tufts University on the impact of Better Factories Cambodia.

October 15, 2020

Better Work works: driving Cambodia’s garment industry toward positive change

Grievance handling systems in garment and apparel factories are among the key factors that may affect employee health and wellbeing, leaving a significant impact on the business revenue and output of the employers.

October 14, 2020

Hansae Viet Nam: Resolving grievances and moving towards sustainable development

New app to support the garment sector in Vietnam and promote virtual dialogue

October 9, 2020

Better Work Vietnam launches new app to support their local garment sector

The male leadership programme has created a space for women to participate and voice out their concerns inside the factory. It upholds the core value of respecting the voice of all genders to create fairer, more productive, and inclusive workplaces.

September 29, 2020

Creating a space for women’s voices – Male Leadership Programme

They sustain a culture of learning and invest in better environments

September 22, 2020

Two more factories entered our high- performing category

The new programme was able to reduce road crashes at the five participating factories for the pilot phase by 77%

September 22, 2020

Safer transport improves workers’ wellbeing

Buyers and manufacturers were part of the problem-solving skills workshops

September 22, 2020

Building better workplaces with partners

One-month course programme on Human Resources and Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems implementation in Nicaragua

September 10, 2020

Better Work triggers enhanced Human Resources and OSH management system implementation in Nicaragua

Employers and workers together to fight the COVID-19 pandemic consequences in Indonesia

August 31, 2020

Tackling the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic with Transparencies Between Employers and Workers

Better Work Indonesia awareness raising campaign on social media

August 31, 2020

Social Media Campaign to Promote Social Dialogue and OSH during COVID-19

An initiative that helped improve workers’ knowledge about how to keep themselves safe on the road and expanded drivers’ knowledge concerning road safety

August 28, 2020

From road safety to COVID- safety: Cambodia’s TWG

The garment industry has provided large-scale employment opportunities for women

August 24, 2020

Empowering women for leadership

The Mothers@Work* programme expanded to 80 factories over the course of 2019.

August 24, 2020

Breastfeeding and maternity protection

66 Participation Committees were established in 2019 across Better Work Bangladesh-registered factories

August 24, 2020

Workers are making their voices heard

The Indonesian employers and workers from the garment and footwear industries have opted to join forces to overcome the impact of COVID-19 in the garment and footwear industries.

August 18, 2020

Employers and workers join forces to reinstate the past glory of Indonesian garment and footwear sector

Factories that stayed with Better Work more than five years have better non-compliance rates

August 12, 2020

More years with Better Work reduces non-compliance

Achievements on alarm systems, time off for breastfeeding and verbal abuse prevention

August 12, 2020

Lowest non-compliance rate on double payroll in five years

Factories that installed air-conditioning or cooling systems are reaping good results

August 12, 2020

Lower temperatures; higher productivity

Of the 33 factories, 22 did not have on-site medical facilities and staff.

July 21, 2020

Partners to safeguard the health of workers

After the workshop, participants were able to suggest concrete actions for better relations.

July 21, 2020

Social dialogue yields powerful results

With an increase in cases of sexual harassment in factories, we implemented prevention and training packages that targeted workers, supervisors, managers, and trainers, as well as MAST inspectors.

July 21, 2020

MAST inspectors join forces to tackle sexual harassment

Empowering factory employees to bring long-lasting changes to their workplaces

July 21, 2020

Factory Ambassador

For the first time, they joined our team in half of the factories’ evaluations, ensuring our sustainability.

July 16, 2020

Strengthening the capacity of labour inspectors

More than 200 labour inspectors and mediators have been supported by Better Work Indonesia in West and Central Java.

July 15, 2020

Building consensus on the use of non-permanent contract

Motivating better workplaces

July 15, 2020

Motivating better workplaces

The reform covers working hours, contracts and minimum wage provisions.

July 15, 2020

Labour Law Reform and Minimum Wage policy

A 10-year journey

July 15, 2020

A 10-year journey

The service is bringing working mothers closer to their children and communities.

July 15, 2020

More female workers have access to daycare facilities

In a series of country-specific reports, Better Work highlights the key labour issues facing the global apparel industry

July 6, 2020

Global Pandemic Highlights the Need for Ongoing Focus on Factory Working Conditions

Increase profitability and productivity are some benefits of factories that joined our programme in the decade

July 3, 2020

Celebrating 10 years in Vietnam

Better Work Vietnam took three concrete steps to address sexual harassment

July 3, 2020

Promoting gender equality

Jasan factory halved non-compliance

July 3, 2020

Investing in OSH management systems for business sustainability

A public health campaign to lower the risk of COVID-19 on collective transportation

June 23, 2020

Transportation and COVID-19 prevention and awareness

Project in collaboration between Better Work, the International Finance Corporation and national stakeholders in Jordan to address gender-based violence.

June 21, 2020

Better Work Jordan and IFC join forces to tackle gender-based violence in Jordan’s garment sector

“The biggest thing is that factory managers need to realize that their workers are human beings. When factories see workers, they are more likely to choose to be compliant.”

June 17, 2020

Drusilla Brown is an Associate Professor of Economics, at Tufts University in the United States

May 12, 2020

Ally Cherkasava, Student, Ukraine

Better Factories Cambodia training on COVID-19 reaching provinces and other sectors in the country.

May 7, 2020

COVID 19 training from Better Factories Cambodia finds a wide audience

Better Work reached out to over 700 migrant workers in the apparel industry living in Jordan during COVID-19 lock down

April 30, 2020

Better Work Jordan Creates a Lifeline for Quarantined Migrant Workers

Although the lockdown is officially in effect until 5 May, as of 26 April, apparel factories are allowed to start reopening in phases and zones on a limited scale.

April 28, 2020

Bangladesh Factories Begin to Reopen: Perspectives from a Factory

Better Work Ethiopia working together with stakeholders

April 1, 2020

Better Work Ethiopia Supports Government Response to COVID-19

COVID-19 has thrown up sudden, unforeseen challenges for Bangladesh's garment industry.

April 1, 2020

COVID 19: Fighting the crisis together in Bangladesh

Better Work Indonesia response to COVID-19

April 1, 2020

Better Work Indonesia Revamps its Approach during COVID-19

Better Work Nicaragua working together with national stakeholders and supporting prevention measures at the factory level.

March 29, 2020

Better Work Nicaragua Helps Bring National Actors together to Address COVID-19

Better Work Jordan protecting the tens of thousands of garment workers employed in the industry.

March 29, 2020

Better Work Jordan Protecting Migrant Workers

Better Work Vietnam develops a guide to support to the factories in minimizing health risk and be in compliance with labour regulations.

March 27, 2020

Better Work Vietnam releases guidance on COVID 19

Better Factories Cambodia adjusting its service model to virtual advisory and industry seminars.

March 26, 2020

Better Factories Cambodia leans on new technology to reach factories

Better Work has launched a partnership with the Crystal International Group Limited, a clothing manufacturer based in Hong Kong, to expand its influence in a new direction in the garment industry.

March 10, 2020

Better Work signs first global manufacturer partnership with Crystal International Group Limited

Better Work Academy: building capacity and identifying long-term solutions.

February 20, 2020

From auditing to coaching: How the Better Work Academy is paving a new path

During the annual Study Hall in New York, Tara Rangarajan talked about need to transform the global apparel industry and maximise conscious consumerism.

February 7, 2020

Holding corporations to account: showcasing the social side of sustainability

We have seen dramatic changes in the garment sector in recent years. Trade wars and new trade agreements, technological shifts and changing consumption patterns, to name but a few. How far have we come in addressing these challenges and what's in store as we enter 2020, and the second decade of Better Work?

January 10, 2020

Better Work enters its second decade

Better Work has supported hundreds of garment factories to earn significant gains in quality of life for workers and enhance productivity and profitability in the past 10 years.

December 13, 2019

Improved working conditions go hand in hand with business success

December 3, 2019

Dan Rees, Better Work Director, Switzerland

A new partnership between the International Labour Organization and Better Than Cash Alliance to promote digital payments.

December 2, 2019

Scaling responsible digital payments across the garment sector

“I would like to see more respect for people operating behind the scenes in the fashion industry. A simple mark of appreciation for factory workers at fashion shows would be a step in the right direction.”

November 3, 2019

Elly Rosita Silaban, Union Leader, Indonesia

The the clothing industry over decades

October 28, 2019

Lives through a lens 100 years: a history of the garment industry

“Communication with workers is key. This profession relies on dialogue and trust between workers and their employers.”

September 1, 2019

Awadallah Diab Abu Zaid, Factory Owner, Jordan

How greater opportunity has helped one woman demonstrate her potential and become a role model for others

August 20, 2019

Moving up the career ladder – A garment worker’s story of resilience, grit and success

High performing factory progressively improve services for pregnant and breastfeeding employees.

July 23, 2019

Ririh and the pink room: How investing in breastfeeding facilities benefits workers, their babies and business

The Swiss delegation visit to a garment factory in Dong Nai to witness positive changes in working conditions and competitiveness of the country’s leading export industry.

July 12, 2019

High-level Swiss delegation visits garment factory in Dong Nai

ILO and GAP Inc. initiative will help build the capacity of factory management, compliance staff, union members and workplace committee members on topics such as freedom of association, collective bargaining, international labour standards, HR management, communications and negotiation techniques, as well as increase the understanding of the Bangladesh Labour Act.

July 11, 2019

ILO and Gap Inc. launch new initiative to improve industrial relations in Bangladesh garment industry

Better Work and partners are tackling sexual harassment in factories in Haiti.

July 3, 2019

Better Work acts against sexual harassment in Haiti

Vietnam’s ratification of ILO Convention 98 on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining.

July 2, 2019

Vietnam’s ratification of fundamental convention on collective bargaining ‘a strong signal’ for garment sector

Sexual harassment prevention: How Better Work is taking the message of the new ILO Convention on violence and harassment to the garment industry

June 26, 2019

Sexual harassment prevention: How Better Work is taking the message of the new ILO Convention on violence and harassment to the garment industry

A new project to broaden the impact of Better Work brings together diverse global supply chain players in an innovative partnership to drive long-term change.

April 25, 2019

Building Bridges: International businesses join hands with governments

After a successful pilot, the Gender Equality and Returns (GEAR) initiative will be scaled up to train 700 female operators and their managers in 70 factories. GEAR trained 144 female workers in the pilot phase; 58 of whom are now in supervisory roles with a 39 percent increase in salary.

March 14, 2019

Bangladesh factories set for more female supervisors

On International Women’s Day, Better Work outlines the benefits of making garment factories places of equal opportunity.

March 8, 2019

Better balance for a better world

Study shows that while payment by performance can bring higher wages, poorly designed piece rate systems have negative impacts on workers.

December 20, 2018

Piece rate pay brings mixed results for garment workers, new study shows

Raeda Abu Halawa is a Jordanian woman working as a mechanic in one of the satellite factories affiliated to the Better Work Jordan programme.

December 19, 2018

Raeda, the first woman mechanic in Jordan’s garment industry

Scaling the Better Work model crucial for lasting improvements, tripartite delegation says.

December 6, 2018

Swiss partners find progress and potential for expanding responsible business in Vietnam

Better Work Jordan is boosting mental health support for workers in the garment sector.

September 20, 2018

Joint action to address mental health issues for garment workers in Jordan

Stakeholders in the garment industry meet to share the latest developments on labour issues in Jordan.

September 18, 2018

Inside Better Work’s tenth annual multi-stakeholders’ forum

A new working paper supports the business case for engaging with Better Work

September 3, 2018

Latest research: firms see benefits to bottom line from Better Work

Making quality jobs a reality for all: Highlights from Jordan's Better Work Forum

August 2, 2018

Making quality jobs a reality for all: Highlights from Jordan’s Better Work Forum

What does it take for a factory to achieve – and maintain – high levels of labour compliance? Two factories producing apparel for Asics, Target, Levi’s and Nike are leading the way and hope to inspire others across the industry.

June 1, 2018

Better Work highlights factories with high levels of compliance, sustainable systems and advanced worker-management dialogue

A Better Work initiative is exploring ways to help garment manufacturers make their factories more environmentally compliant.

April 30, 2018

Better Work explores ways to help make garment factories more environmentally compliant

With the aim of analyzing existing policies and identifying amendments, Better Work Jordan (BWJ) partnered with a legal expert in labor affairs to release a study titled, “The Regulatory Framework For Using Heavy Machinery in Jordan.”

April 3, 2018

Better Work releases a study on the regulatory framework for using heavy machinery in Jordan

Balancing paid work and family care is a major challenge for women workers in Cambodia’s garment sector but investing in practical solutions to enhance gender equality is good for business as well as for workers, their families and their communities.

March 7, 2018

New report ‘shines a light’ on gender dynamics in Cambodia’s garment factories

Joint UN-World Bank Group programme shows that gender equality can also translate into increased productivity.

January 30, 2018

Better Work launches strategy to enhance gender equality in the garment industry

Better Work launches a step-change five-year strategy to significantly increase its impact in the global garment industry.

December 22, 2017

‘Amplifying Impact’ – Better Work’s ambitious strategy for the next five years

Better Work and Disney have teamed up in an effort to improve factory working conditions. The partnership led to trainings for 201 managers from 115 licensee companies that in turn contract some 2,447 factories.

November 21, 2017

Better Work collaborates with Disney to promote good working conditions in factories

The men of Jordan's garment sector

November 13, 2017

The men of Jordan’s garment sector

A Better Work course and brochure gives migrant workers a clear idea of what to expect in their new country of residence

October 31, 2017

Better Work pre-departure training quells garment migrant workers’ fear of the unknown

UN task force to improve living and working conditions of Syrian refugees in Jordan

October 2, 2017

UN agencies join forces to help Syrians work in Jordan’s manufacturing sector

Better Work using cartoons to address serious workplace issues.

August 25, 2017

Better Work cartoons spark conversations from the boardroom to the factory floor

Mothers@Work, a national initiative to support maternity rights and promote breastfeeding in the garment sector has been launched in Bangladesh.

August 22, 2017

Better Work supports maternity rights and breastfeeding in Bangladesh garment sector through [email protected]

Sexual harassment concerns in factories are down since the launch of an awareness-raising training.

May 11, 2017

Better Work’s Sexual Harassment Prevention Training sparks changes in attitudes and behaviour

Better Work Vietnam Promotional Video

May 10, 2017

The Better Work Vietnam story

In this personal account, Research and Policy Officer Arianna Rossi shares her experience representing the ILO at the United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women in New York.

April 28, 2017

Equality and empowerment in action: Sharing our gender agenda at the United Nations

Better Work Bangladesh held its second stakeholder and buyer forum in Dhaka to explore progress made by the programme and challenges remaining.

April 4, 2017

Better Work forum highlights opportunities for Bangladesh’s garment industry

A new garment sector-wide alliance in Jordan aims to create economic opportunities, improve the lives of refugees caught up in the Syrian crisis and help their host countries

April 3, 2017

From policy to practice: A new garment sector alliance in Jordan will create opportunities for refugees

Located in the country’s central region of Mymensingh, some 75km north of the capital Dhaka, Crown Wears has implemented a number of new initiatives since joining Better Work in 2015, including launching a childcare facility and providing additional medical services to workers.

March 28, 2017

Crown Wears and Better Work Bangladesh: Taking the industry to the next level

Two animations make difficult themes like sexual harassment accessible to garment factory workers

March 14, 2017

Better Work Vietnam launches new tools to promote a safe and healthy workplace

Independent analysis using Better Work data contributes to the business case for lifting compliance to labour standards and investing in up-to-date human resource management.

March 10, 2017

Cambodian garment factories see gains from advancing working conditions

Globally, the garment sector employs more than 60 million people. 80% of them are women. This International Women’s Day, meet Majda, Bal and Tumpa.

March 8, 2017

Be Bold for Change: Seven workers speak out

This International Women’s Day we celebrate the determination of women in the world of work by sharing seven inspiring stories from Bangladesh.

March 8, 2017

Made in Mymensingh: An International Women’s Day special

Better Work joins with an innovative foundation to improve factory clinics and boost the quality of life for a group of deaf workers in Haiti

February 20, 2017

Better living and working conditions for deaf workers in Haiti

Enterprise advisors work inside the factories, advising and assessing compliance with labour standards

February 14, 2017

Enterprise Advisors help bridge gap between workers and managers in Bangladesh

Meet the faces behind the global garment industry

December 21, 2016

Voices from the factory floor

An election winner, a man, surrounded by 5 male supporters

November 21, 2016

In Bangladesh, workers embrace factory floor democracy

Discover how Better Work empowers factories so they drive their own improvement process

November 15, 2016

Making an impact by giving factories ownership over the improvement process

Better Work Jordan and local stakeholders are calling for the creation of workplace nurseries to help mothers continue their careers

November 11, 2016

On-site nurseries: helping Jordanian mothers at work

Almost all garment workers in Asia now own a mobile phone. Better Work programme is finding ways of using this technology to deliver important information

November 3, 2016

Smart phones, smart workplaces

Training in communications for garment factory supervisors yields significant improvements in the quality of working conditions and big gains in productivity

November 3, 2016

People skills make all the difference in Indonesia’s garment factories

Cambodia website

October 20, 2016

Better Factories Cambodia: A 15-Year Journey

Together we can make a difference: A focus on persistent non-compliance

October 14, 2016

Together we can make a difference: A focus on persistent non-compliance

Training supervisors in people skills can dramatically improve the quality of worker’s lives

September 26, 2016

Improving the garment industry through supervisors

BFC radio competition on the labour law

December 9, 2015

Raising awareness on workers’ rights and boosting self-confidence

Better Work Nicaragua is helping to ensure that the progress made on the national stage is reflected within individual factories.

April 23, 2015

The road towards stronger social dialogue in Nicaragua

Peer education and dispelling myths about HIV.

April 16, 2015

Making Waves

March 6, 2015

In Profile: Female Garment Workers in Jordan

Factory in Haiti

December 24, 2014

Boosting Supervisory Skills for a Better Workplace

Vietnam

December 1, 2014

Breaking Barriers – Facing Down Workplace Discrimination in Vietnam

Vietnamese factory worker

August 27, 2014

Investing in Good Working Conditions Brings Real Rewards

Jordan worker

August 5, 2014

Collaboration Brings Change for Management and Workers in Jordan

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