Clothing giant H&M says it wants to set an example among retailers by committing to assuring that international garment and textile workers receive a living wage. In countries like Bangladesh, where many clothes that Americans wear are made, workers are faced with dangerous factory conditions, long hours and a life of poverty. And because supply chains are so large and complicated, American companies and buyers often have little influence on how overseas factories are run. But H&M wants to change that and ensure that workers are compensated fairly—even if it means raising prices.
The spokesperson from a corporate watchdog organization told The Huffington Post, “It’s the first time ever they have said they were willing to raise prices and that consumers were now ready for that.” H&M cautioned that negotiating with international suppliers for improvements like trade unions, new safety standards and pay hikes for workers will take time, and said that consumers shouldn’t expect to see higher prices overnight. Under its new Fair Living Wage policy, the company said that by the year 2018, their is goal is to ensure that 850,000 global textile workers receive a fair, sustainable, living wage …
