Marks & Spencer (M&S) is piloting a workplace healthcare programme for women in at least five Cambodian garment factories. Developed in partnership with Project HOPE, a global health education and humanitarian organisation, the Health Works programme provides opportunities for nearly 10,000 women to improve their health and that of their families. The Health Works initiative kick-off in February and one of the first activities, adapted specifically for the Cambodian culture, was

Leather exports grew over 4 per cent to $ 5 billion in 2012-13, despite sluggish demand in western markets like Europe. In 2011-12, these exports stood at $ 4.8 billion, according to the data provided by the Council for Leather Exports (CLE). "In 2012-13, leather exports touched $ 5 billion mark on account of increase in demand from the US market in the last quarter of the fiscal," CLE Regional Director (North) Sanjay Kumar said. Besides, he said, exporters are getting good number of or

The Government of India has constituted a state-level committee for addressing the grievances of Assam weavers. This information was given by Minister of State for Textiles Panabaaka Lakshmi in a written reply to the Lok Sabha, according to the SME Times. The Minister informed that the officials of Assam Handlooms and Textile Department and National Handloom Development Corporation recently held a meeting to review the problems faced by the weavers in the state and also to probe into the cont

Participants are seen at a discussion between a government panel on the garment sector and the leaders of garment sector-based rights bodies at the conference room of Bangladesh Jute Research Institute in Dhaka yesterday. The two-member government panel organised the discussion. Photo: Star Labour leaders yesterday called for trade unions at all garment factories to give the workers a platform to ensure their rights and save the sector from perennial unrest. They also said there is no al

A United Nations expert group has urged global clothing brands to work with Bangladesh, international organisations and civil society to improve working conditions in the country’s garment sector, following Rana Plaza collapse that left hundreds dead and wounded. “The international brands sourcing from Bangladesh have a responsibility to conduct human rights due diligence to identify and address their own impacts on human rights,” a UN news release on Wednesday quoted Pavel Sulyandziga, who c

The government will not allow any garment factory in risky building in the country to protect the rights and ensure safety of the workers.If any garments industry is set up in risky building, the government will close it operation immediately. The cabinet committee on garments industry on Wednesday took the decision in its second meeting at labour ministry at the secretariat with committee chief labour minister Raziuddin Ahmed Razu in the chair. "The government has taken the decision to cl

Exports of major manufactured goods like woollen carpets, readymade garments and pashmina products continued to fall during the first nine months of the current fiscal year. Increasing production costs, a shortage of manpower and government apathy have been blamed for the slump in exports. According to the Trade and Export Promotions Centre (TEPC), export earnings from woollen carpets, readymade garments and pashmina amounted to Rs 8 billion, or 14.28 percent of the total export earnings. Ex

Textile and garment sector shareholders are happy with a solid dividend payment amid continuing economic hardships. When shareholders of many building material production companies were disappointed with firms’ low business efficiency and their inability to meet dividend payments, those at many textile garment firms were happy with these firms’ upbeat business results and high dividend payments. Ho Chi Minh City-based Viet Tien Garment Joint Stock Corporation offered shareholders 25 per ce

New Zealand Wool Services International Limited’s Marketing Executive, Mr Paul Steel reports that the combination of a slightly weaker NZ dollar compared to most main trading currencies; restricted wool supply and recent dearer wool markets in other countries aided the lift for most types at this weeks’ South Island auction. Of the 8,340 bales on offer, 83 percent sold. The weighted currency indicator was 0.46 percent down on last sale of 2nd May but started the day below this level, strengthe

Ecuador's crude-oil exports totaled 11.93 million barrels in March, a 2% increase from the previous month, the Central Bank said Thursday. Crude oil is Ecuador's main export. All the oil is exported by Ecuador's state-owned companies. The country's crude-oil exports revenue totaled $1.16 billion in March from the $1.17 billion registered one month before. The average price of crude oil in March was $97.8 a barrel. The central bank also said Ecuador produced 15.63 million barrels of crude oi