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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

Recent Publication by Sarosh Kuruvilla: Shifting Modes of Labor Regulation in Global Supply Chains

This essay outlines changing modes of regulation of labor conditions in global apparel supply chains, which are concentrated in Asia; assesses the effectiveness of 25 years of private voluntary regulation by global firms; and examines critically the implications of new European regulation now mandating what was previously a voluntary corporate activity.
Sarosh
Recent Publication by Sarosh Kuruvilla: Shifting Modes of Labor Regulation in Global Supply Chains

Event: Higher Ground? Fashion's Climate Breakdown and its Effect for Workers by the Global Labor Institute and Schroders - Organized by Columbia Threadneedle Investments

Please join us at Columbia Threadneedle Investments in London for a presentation on the Higher Ground? reports by the Global Labor Institute and Schroders. Angus Bauer (Schroders) will be joined by Jason Judd (Global Labor Institute) to present the paper, followed by a panel discussion with expert reactions.
Five people crossing polluted stream over narrow bridge.
Event: Higher Ground? Fashion's Climate Breakdown and its Effect for Workers by the Global Labor Institute and Schroders - Organized by Columbia Threadneedle Investments

Global Labor Institute Conference 2024

Will global labor’s spring arrive early, or are we destined for more of the same? The Global Labor Insitute’s 2024 Conference takes place Feb. 2, 2024 - Groundhog Day - in New York City. 
570 Lexington Avenue
Global Labor Institute Conference 2024

"Higher Ground?" In the News

See highlights of coverage for the Higher Ground? reports authored by the Global Labor Institute and Schroders.
Flooded Street
"Higher Ground?" In the News

Webinar: Higher Ground? Fashion's Climate Breakdown and its Effect for Workers

A multi-stakeholder panel discussion about the Global Labor Institute and Schroders' Higher Ground report, which looks at the impact of climate breakdown on apparel producing countries and workers.
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Webinar: Higher Ground? Fashion's Climate Breakdown and its Effect for Workers

Higher Ground? Fashion’s Climate Breakdown

In partnership with Schroders, we report the impacts of climate change on global apparel production. In our first report, we track climate change impacts at the global, national, and factory levels. Our second report examines company-level climate risk, cost, and financing for adaption and just resilience.
Textile workers in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Higher Ground? Fashion’s Climate Breakdown

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