Two organizations representing hundreds of North American and European apparel and footwear brands are urging the Pakistani government to continue to champion an International Labor Organization program aimed at improving working conditions within the garment industry.
Writing in a letter earlier this month, Steve Lamar and Jeff Vockrodt, who helm the American Apparel and Footwear Association and the Fair Labor Association, respectively, called for the continued implementation and expansion of Better Work Pakistan, which receives significant funding from the Ministry of Commerce’s Export Development Fund.
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Established in 2022, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the federal Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, the provincial Governments of Sindh and Punjab, the ILO Country Office and the broader Better Work initiative, the program now covers nearly 120 factories and 290,000 workers with the backing of 19 brands and retailers, including Bestseller, C&A, H&M Group, Calvin Klein owner PVH Corp. and Zara parent Inditex.
Amid mounting uncertainty around tariffs, market access and regulatory requirements, initiatives such as Better Work help to “reinforce confidence among international buyers,” they wrote. “The program’s ability to combine compliance, productivity and social dialogue is particularly valuable in supporting long-term sourcing relationships.”
Labor advocates, however, have called the Better Work model into question, arguing, for instance, that the “social dialogue” and bipartite committees it promotes can displace or undermine independent unions, stifling true freedom of association. Because Better Work focuses on top-tier “strategic” suppliers, it creates a halo effect for the industry while reaching only a small proportion of each country’s workforce. Unions have also criticized Better Work for failing to identify breaches of workers’ rights in countries such as Cambodia and Haiti.
Even so, Lamar and Vockrodt asked the Export Development Fund to continue its financial support for a second phase of Better Work Pakistan. This, they said, would send a “strong and positive signal” to global brands and retailers while underscoring Pakistan’s commitment to “maintaining high standards, strengthening labor market governance and positioning itself as a preferred sourcing destination.”
“Sourcing decisions are increasingly shaped by reliability, transparency, and adherence to internationally recognized labor standards,” Lamar and Vockrodt added. “In this regard, Better Work plays a critical role in helping Pakistani suppliers meet requirements, manage compliance risks and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving global trade environment.”
