Decent Work Due Diligence Bangladesh

Project summary

This project strengthens labour rights and social dialogue in Bangladesh by applying the updated Decent Work Check (DWC) and Worker Priority Poll (WPP) across factories in the RMG, leather, and tannery sectors. These evidence-based tools collect workers voices and priorities and compare them against national labour laws and international standards, including the ILO Decent Work Agenda.

The findings are used to:

• Gather meaningful insights into supplier compliance for global brands and ability to improve standards
• Empower trade unions with data-driven advocacy.
• Engage factory management and employers associations in corrective actions.
• Inform policymakers and international stakeholders such as the EU and ILO.

By building union capacity, fostering social dialogue, and promoting compliance with international labour standards and Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD), the project supports Bangladesh efforts towards decent work for all and enhances its eligibility under the EU GSP+ framework. 

Duration

2025 - 2029

Countries Covered

Bangladesh

Objectives

The overall objective is to ensure that human rights and decent work conditions in Bangladesh are respected by companies and protected by the government. To achieve this, labour standards in the country’s main export sectors - ready-made garments (RMG) and leather - will be advanced through an innovative human rights due diligence (HRDD) system: the DWDDC. At the same time, the capacity of trade unions to lobby, advocate, and engage in social dialogue based on collected evidence will be strengthened. Finally, the project will contribute to reinforcing Bangladesh’s eligibility under the GSP+ negotiation process.

WageIndicator provides the technical backbone of the project by adapting and implementing the updated Decent Work Check to the Decent Work Due Dilligence Check and the Worker Priority Poll (WPP) in Bangladesh’s RMG, leather, and tannery sectors. Specifically, WageIndicator is responsible for:

• Survey setup and contextualisation
• Data management and cleaning
• Data visualization and reporting
• Capacity support for unions and partners

By combining these technical responsibilities with its global expertise in more than 30 countries, WageIndicator ensures that the findings are robust, gender-responsive, and action oriented, directly contributing to improved human rights due diligence in Bangladesh.

Partners

• Bangladesh Labour Foundation 
• Mondiaal FNV (lead)
• WageIndicator Foundation

Events

• Decent Work Due Diligence Project Brief for Brands and Suppliers - kick-off
  16 September 2025 

Publications

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Newsletters

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Resources

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Funded by

EuropeAid/181621/DD/ACT/BD - Lot 1: To strengthen local Civil Society Organisations, including trade unions, to actively advance decent work, sustainability and human rights due diligence. 

This project is funded by the European Commission in Bangladesh. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Mondiaal FNV, WageIndicator Foundation, and Bangladesh Labour Foundation and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.