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Dignity factory workers producing shirts for overseas clients, in Accra, Ghana

Cooling Before It Got Cool: Case Studies in Heat Adaptation in Southeast Asian Factories

Heat Adaptation in Apparel Factories

A new examination of how apparel factories are adapting to extreme heat while investing in cooling, automation, and climate resilience strategies.

A thermal image of a worker at a station in a garment factory, showing the high heat levels through brighter orange colors at their workstation.
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The Dindigul Agreement to End Gender-based Violence and Harassment

Has It Worked?

This is GLI’s official final assessment of the Dindigul Agreement to End Gender-Based Violence and Harassment at a South Indian apparel factory that could be a model for other factories around the world. 

Large room of garment factory workers
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Global Labor Institute's Climate-Labor Work

GLI Climate-Labor Research

See all of our analyses on the intersection of labor rights and climate change.

GLI climate workers webinar
Read GLI's Climate-Labor Work

Measuring Supply Chain Due Diligence

Labor Outcomes Metrics

Read about the Global Labor Institute's new quantitative metrics that measure labor outcomes—actual impacts for workers.

Workers in Bangladesh
Read more about Measuring Supply Chain Due Diligence

Latest Research and Events

Eliminating Gender-based Violence and Harassment in Global Supply Chains

We present here our analysis of processes and outcomes in year 2 of the operation of the agreement, as a prelude to a more comprehensive evaluation in 2025 when the agreement expires.
Busy factory floor with rows of sewing stations
Eliminating Gender-based Violence and Harassment in Global Supply Chains

25 Metrics to Measure Due Diligence in Global Supply Chain

Cornell ILR’s Global Labor Institute (GLI) launched its Labor Outcomes Metrics on May 29. The new set of 25 quantitative measures allows regulators, firms and unions to score, track and compare impacts over time.
Better Work Programme - A worker in Bangladesh
25 Metrics to Measure Due Diligence in Global Supply Chain

Sourcing Journal: 'How Do We Measure Supply Chain Due Diligence? GLI Labor Outcome Metrics'

Read our Sourcing Journal summary of the new GLI Labor Outcomes Metrics.
Bangladesh Garment Workers
Sourcing Journal: 'How Do We Measure Supply Chain Due Diligence? GLI Labor Outcome Metrics'

Measuring Supply Chain Due Diligence

Read about the Global Labor Institute's new quantitative metrics that measure labor outcomes—actual impacts for workers.
Workers in Bangladesh
Measuring Supply Chain Due Diligence

Knowing and Showing: Using Cornell GLI’s Labor Outcome Metrics for Due Diligence

Join us online 29 May for the launch of Cornell GLI’s Labor Outcomes Metrics, a new set of 25 quantitative measures to allow regulators, firms, unions and the rest of us to score, track and compare impacts over time. Registration required.
570 Lexington Avenue
Knowing and Showing: Using Cornell GLI’s Labor Outcome Metrics for Due Diligence

GLI Announces new visiting fellow MEP Samira Rafaela

Member of the European Parliament Samira Rafaela joins the Global Labor Institute for 2024 – 2025 as a visiting fellow of the Cornell University ILR School.
Samira Rafaela
GLI Announces new visiting fellow MEP Samira Rafaela

In The News

Media Mentions

Bangladesh Sourcing Report Challenges Cheap Hub Narrative

Sustainable Business Magazine
The report “Higher Ground? Report 1: Fashion’s Climate Breakdown and Its Effect for Workers,” which was co-published by ILR’s Global Labor Institute, is referenced in this article about various challenges and solutions for the Bangladesh garment industry.
Bangladesh Sourcing Report Challenges Cheap Hub Narrative

Knitting Industry

A report from the Global Labor Institute, “Higher Ground? Report 1: Fashion’s Climate Breakdown and Its Effect for Workers,” is referenced in this article, which warns that without climate adaptation efforts, Bangladesh’s apparel export earnings could be around 22% lower by 2030 and 68% lower by 2050.
Knitting Industry

Top fashion brands have a supply chain battle against extreme India heat

Economic Times
A report co-created by ILR’s Global Labor Institute, “The Heat is On: How heat stress impacts the apparel industry, jobs, and worker health,” is referenced in this article about problems and solutions related to high temperatures in the garment manufacturing workplace. [Syndicated from Bloomberg]
Top fashion brands have a supply chain battle against extreme India heat

Gap Inc. Expands Human Rights And Gender Equality Efforts

Textile Insights
A report, “The Dindigul Agreement to End Gender-based Violence and Harassment Has It Worked?”, by Sarosh Kuruvilla, ILR professor and academic director of the Global Labor Institute, is referenced in this article.
Gap Inc. Expands Human Rights And Gender Equality Efforts

How Fashion Manufacturers Are Tackling Extreme Heat

Vogue
“You could start easily just by having cheap thermometers and logging to see what your indoor air temperatures and humidity levels are throughout a day and throughout a year,” observes Sarah Krasley, visiting fellow at ILR’s Global Labor Institute, pointing out that inexpensive equipment can provide data about conditions.
How Fashion Manufacturers Are Tackling Extreme Heat

Garment workers face heat risks in Bangladesh as energy cuts curb cooling

The Japan Times
A 2023 study by ILR’s Global Labor Institute is referenced in this article about problems and solutions for cooling garment workers on hot days; the study estimates significant job and income losses for the apparel industry if heat risks are not addressed. [Syndicated from Reuters]
Garment workers face heat risks in Bangladesh as energy cuts curb cooling