Better Lives for Bangladesh’s Garment Workers

Dhaka, Bangladesh, December 6, 2016 /3BL Media/ – Garment manufacturer DBL Group has joined the Business Call to Action (BCtA) with a pledging to provide 24,450 of its employees with access to affordably priced basic household food and health items through its Bandhan Fair Price Shops.

Launched in 2008, the Business Call to Action (BCtA) aims to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by challenging companies to develop inclusive business models that engage people with less than US$8 per day in purchasing power as consumers, producers, suppliers and distributors. It is supported by several international organizations and hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Accessibility to affordable basic necessities has been a major concern in Kashimpur, Gazipur, Bangladesh, where nearly 7,000 DBL Group employees live and work. Established in 1991, DBL Group supplies quality garments to global retailers such as H&M and Puma.The remote locations of DBL’s new factoriesand lack of shops in these areas has made it difficult for workers to access items their families need at affordable prices.

The financial crisis of 2008 further increased the prices of basic goods, putting them out of reach for many of the company’s workers. Women’s lack of access to affordable feminine hygiene products resulted in high absenteeism and decreased their job satisfaction and productivity. DBL responded by launching its first Bandhan Fair Price Shop, offering basic necessities at subsidized prices to its employees. Bandhan’s products are not only sold for less than the usual market price, but in these cashless shops, DBL employees are able to purchase items on credit without being charged interest.

With the success of the first Badhan shop, five DBL manufacturing complexes established their own Fair Price Shops, benefitting nearly 24,450 employees and their families. These shops’ 370 items –from recognized international and local brands– include food, cooking oil, toiletries, home supplies and beverages. They also include sanitary napkins, which are sold at over 70 percent less than the average market price. Through the company’s Women’s Health Initiative, there are woman present at all Badhan shops to provide information and facilitate their purchase since women may not feel comfortable buying them from men.

“Badhan shops provide a chain of benefits by strengthening the bonds between the company and its employees,” said M. A. Jabbar, CEO of DBL Group. “Increasing workers’ purchasing power means they are now capable of buying healthier products for their families. This increases their job satisfaction, which greatly improves our worker retention rate. When our staff is healthy and satisfied with their jobs, we all benefit.”

Within three months of opening the first Badhan Fair Price Shop, the rate of absenteeism among DBL employees decreased by more than one third. It has also partnered with UNICEF to promote good breastfeeding practices among women employees. In tandem with its health programme, the company has established a women’s leadership initiative focused on enabling women workers to become supervisors through a comprehensive training programme.

Through its Badhan shops and related support, DBL is supporting the nutrition and health of its women workers while helping them to build a foundation for the future”, said Paula Peleaz, who heads the Business Call to Action. Combining access to healthy food and hygiene items with career support and awareness-raising empowers women to make more informed decisions that impact the next generation.

The company’s BCtA pledge includes providing social and economic empowerment to over 8550 women at the base of the economic pyramid: its vision is to be the most attractive employer for women in Bangladesh’s garment industry.

For further information:

Business Call to Action: Tatiana Bessarabova at tatiana.bessarabova@undp.org

DBL Group: Mohammed Zahidullah at zahid@dbl-group.com

Membership in the Business Call to Action does not constitute a partnership with its funding and programme partners, UNDP or any UN agency.

About the Business Call to Action (BCtA): Launched at the United Nations in 2008, the Business Call to Action (BCtA) aims to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by challenging companies to develop inclusive business models that offer the potential for both commercial success and development impact. BCtA is a unique multilateral alliance between key donor governments including the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), UK Department for International Development, US Agency for International Development, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Finland, and the United Nations Development Programme – which hosts the secretariat. For more information, please visit www.businesscalltoaction.org or on Twitter at @BCtAInitiative.

About DBL Group: DBL is a diversified business entity with vertically integrated textile and apparel manufacturing facilities, and concerns in ICT, Telecommunications, Ceramic Tiles and Dredging. Established in 1991, it now comprises 17 concerns and is currently expanding into the pharmaceutical and light engineering sectors. With a workforce of more than 24,000, DBL had an annual turnover of US$365 million in 2016. The group supplies quality apparel to globally renowned retailers including H&M, Puma and Gymboree. Sustainability is embedded in the company’s core values, with the commitment and cooperation of its senior management. Demonstrating its commitment to sustainability, Bandhan Fair Price Shops play an important role in the health and hygiene of employees’ families, reducing absenteeism and promoting worker satisfaction and retention. For more information, visit http://www.dbl-group.com