International Accord

What International Accord does

The International Accord is a legally binding multi-stakeholder agreement between 280+ garment brands and retailers and two global trade union federations (IndustriALL Global Union and UNI Global Union), established in 2013 in response to the Rana Plaza collapse to advance worker health and safety in textile and garment factories. The Secretariat, headquartered in Amsterdam with a lean team of approximately 95 employees, oversees implementation of the framework agreement and supports country-specific safety programs. Two active Country-Specific Safety Programs operate today: the Bangladesh Safety Agreement (implemented by the RMG Sustainability Council since June 2020, covering 1,680+ factories and 2.9 million workers) and the Pakistan Accord (operated by Health and Safety Accord Pvt. Ltd. from Karachi and Lahore, covering 635+ factories and 525,604 workers). The technical foundation consists of the Accord Building Standard (aligned with NFPA and BNBC), independent engineering inspections covering fire, electrical, structural, and boiler safety, Corrective Action Plan monitoring, an 8-module Safety Committee training curriculum, and an independent confidential complaints mechanism aligned with UN Guiding Principle 31. No proprietary software product is sold; operational infrastructure includes inspection management systems and factory disclosure databases.

The business model is a multi-stakeholder nonprofit funded by scaled annual membership fees from brand signatories, calculated on each signatory's Free on Board (FOB) value from covered countries, with a minimum of US$2,500 and a maximum of US$185,000 per signatory per agreement. Separate fee schedules apply for the International Accord framework, Bangladesh Safety Agreement, and Pakistan Accord. Go-to-market is enterprise and field-driven: brands move through a four-step onboarding process (Review, Contact, Sign, Induction), disclose their supplier factories, and fund remediation including interest-free loans to suppliers. Governance is tripartite, with equal representation of brands and trade unions on the Steering Committee under an ILO-provided Independent Chair, and witness signatories Clean Clothes Campaign and Workers' Rights Consortium serving as expert observers. Geographic expansion is pursued through formal feasibility studies for new garment-producing countries (Sri Lanka, Morocco, India are under active evaluation).

Name

International Accord

Legal name

International Accord

Website

https://internationalaccord.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The International Accord is a legally binding agreement between 280+ garment brands and global trade unions delivering workplace safety programs in textile factories across Bangladesh and Pakistan via independent inspections, remediation monitoring, safety training, and worker complaint mechanisms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workplace Safety Compliance Services

akta.pro primary industry

Labor, Social Protection & Occupational Safety Standards Cooperation (BPADANAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation (BPADANAD), International Standards, Norms & Technical Regulatory Bodies (BPADAAAJ)

Keywords

• Workplace safety compliance
• Garment supply chain auditing
• Factory safety inspections
• Worker safety training
• Multi-stakeholder agreement

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Signatory Brand Membership Fees: Brand signatories pay annual fees to fund Accord programs. Fees are calculated based on a formula established by the Steering Committee, with a minimum contribution of US$2,500 and a maximum of US$185,000 per year per signatory company.
2. Remediation Financing Support: Accord helps factories secure financing for safety remediation, including direct financial support and arranging interest-free loans from brand buyers. Brands contribute to ensuring remediation is financially feasible for suppliers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

International Accord operates a legally binding, multi-stakeholder framework agreement between garment brands/retailers and global trade unions, delivering Country-Specific Safety Programs that run independent factory inspections, remediation monitoring, Safety Committee training, and an independent worker complaints mechanism at textile and garment supplier factories in Bangladesh and Pakistan. Brands sign the framework and country addendums, pay scaled annual fees, and disclose their supplier factories, which are then enrolled in the safety programs.

Product overview

The International Accord operates as a platform of interconnected programs and services focused on advancing worker health and safety in the textile and garment industry. At its core is the International Accord Framework Agreement, which serves as the legal foundation for country-specific safety programs. The two active country programs are the Bangladesh Safety Agreement (implemented by the RMG Sustainability Council) and the Pakistan Accord (operated by Health and Safety Accord Pvt. Ltd.). These programs deliver four integrated service modules: Factory Inspections (independent engineering assessments of fire, electrical, structural, and boiler safety), Remediation Monitoring (tracking and public reporting on Corrective Action Plans), Safety Committee and Safety Training (8-module training with ongoing support), and the Health and Safety Complaints Mechanism (independent confidential grievance handling). Additionally, All Employee Meetings provide factory-wide safety awareness. The Bangladesh program covers 1,400+ factories while the Pakistan program covers 600+ factories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Accord Framework Agreement The overarching legally binding agreement between garment brands and global trade unions (IndustriALL and UNI) that establishes the legal basis, principles, procedures, and policies for country-specific health and safety programs in textile and garment supply chains. Brands sign the framework and country addendums, pay annual membership fees scaled to FOB value, and disclose their supplier factories for enrollment in safety programs.
• Bangladesh Safety Agreement (BSA) Country-specific safety program under the International Accord framework, implemented by the RMG Sustainability Council (RSC). Covers 1,680+ garment and textile factories in Bangladesh, with 242 signatory brands as of 30 June 2026, delivering inspections, remediation monitoring, Safety Committee training, All Employee Meetings, and the independent complaints mechanism covering 2.9 million workers.
• Pakistan Accord Country-specific safety program under the International Accord framework, operated by Health and Safety Accord Pvt. Ltd. (HASA) with offices in Karachi and Lahore. Covers 635+ garment and textile factories in Pakistan with 120+ signatory brands and trade unions, delivering inspections (464 initial inspections completed), remediation monitoring, Safety Committee training, All Employee Meetings, and the independent complaints mechanism covering 525,604 workers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 56,000+ inspections completed at Accord-covered factories globally
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Health and Safety Accord Pvt. Ltd. (HASA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Health and Safety Accord Pvt. Ltd. (HASA) is the legal entity implementing the Pakistan Accord program. It operates offices in Karachi and Lahore and employs engineers and staff for inspections, remediation, training, and complaints handling in Pakistan.
• RMG Sustainability Council (RSC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2020The RMG Sustainability Council (RSC) is a tripartite organization (labour-brands-industry) that has been implementing Accord programs in Bangladesh since 1 June 2020. It took over all Accord staff and operations in Bangladesh following the transition from the original Accord. The RSC operates the inspections program, remediation monitoring, Safety Committee training, and complaints mechanism in Bangladesh.
• IndustriALL Global UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2013IndustriALL Global Union is a global trade union federation that co-signed the original 2013 Accord and continues as a core signatory and Steering Committee member of the International Accord. It represents garment workers globally and drives worker-centered approaches in Accord governance and programs.
• UNI Global UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2013UNI Global Union is a global trade union federation that co-signed the original 2013 Accord and continues as a core signatory and Steering Committee member of the International Accord. It promotes workers' rights, health, and safety alongside IndustriALL.
• International Labour Organisation (ILO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2013The ILO provides a neutral Chair for the International Accord Steering Committee. The ILO's involvement lends institutional credibility and aligns the Accord with international labour standards and due diligence frameworks.
• Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2013The Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) played a pivotal role in advocating for the original 2013 Accord and has been an expert observer and witness signatory on the Accord's Steering Committee since its inception. It monitors Accord implementation and advocates for worker rights.
• Workers' Rights Consortium (WRC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2013The Workers' Rights Consortium (WRC) played a pivotal role in advocating for the original 2013 Accord and has been an expert observer and witness signatory on the Accord's Steering Committee since its inception.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fair Wear Foundation: Multi-stakeholder organization focused on improving labor conditions in garment supply chains, with brand members, factory audits, and worker-driven complaints. Highly comparable operating model and target customer base (garment brands sourcing from developing-country factories).
• Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI): UK-based alliance of companies, trade unions, and NGOs promoting workers' rights in supply chains. Direct peer as a multi-stakeholder body (companies + unions + NGOs) operating across similar apparel/garment categories with overlapping brand signatories.
• Fair Labor Association: Multi-stakeholder organization conducting independent factory audits and certifying brand compliance with labor standards in apparel, footwear, and agriculture. Comparable tripartite governance, factory inspection methodology, and brand-membership revenue model.
• Better Work: Joint ILO/IFC program improving labor conditions in garment supply chains across 13+ countries. Direct peer: both are multi-stakeholder initiatives delivering factory-level worker safety and compliance programs in the same garment sector with similar brand-fee and union-supported funding models.
• Social Accountability International (SAI): Non-profit developing the SA8000 standard for worker conditions; certifies factories and trains auditors across apparel, footwear, and other sectors. Comparable mission, certification/inspection methodology, and apparel industry overlap.

Broad incumbents

• amfori BSCI: Large Brussels-based business association providing a single social compliance framework (BSCI) used by thousands of retailers/importers globally. Broader scope than International Accord (multi-sector) but overlaps heavily on apparel/garment factory social audits and brand membership.
• Responsible Business Alliance (RBA): Industry coalition enforcing the Code of Conduct in electronics, garment, footwear, and toy supply chains via the RBA VAP audit program. Broader incumbent in supply-chain social compliance with significant apparel member overlap.

Others

• Worker Rights Consortium (WRC): Independent labor-rights monitoring organization for apparel and footwear factories; in fact a witness signatory to International Accord. Closely related organization operating as an observer/partner rather than direct competitor, focused on university-licensed apparel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-accord

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Accord