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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

Business of Fashion Op-Ed: 'Fashion’s Business Model Isn’t Fit for Climate Change'

This op-ed by Jason Judd and Sarosh Kuruvilla explores how the business model of fashion is failing to meet the complex problems posed by climate change.
A man walks through rain and dye outside a dyeing factory in Bangladesh. (Getty)
Business of Fashion Op-Ed: 'Fashion’s Business Model Isn’t Fit for Climate Change'

Many Lessons, Difficult Path to Solutions

A new working paper by the Global Labor Institute delves into the lessons learned by the apparel industry during the COVID-19 pandemic and explores how to better handle future crises.
garment workers in a factory
Many Lessons, Difficult Path to Solutions

Global Apparel Supply Chain Factory Workers Walk When Wage Codes Are Violated

Research from Professor Sarosh Kuruvilla shows that factory workers in the global apparel supply chain are more likely to quit over low wages than other poor working conditions.
Garmet workers sewing in a factory
Global Apparel Supply Chain Factory Workers Walk When Wage Codes Are Violated

Corporate Codes of Conduct and Labour Turnover in Global Apparel Supply Chains

Research on private regulation of labour issues in global supply chains has focused extensively on whether supplier factories comply with the codes of conduct of global companies. Less is known about how such compliance relates to the preferences and behaviours of workers at export factories.
Colored Bolts of Fabric
Corporate Codes of Conduct and Labour Turnover in Global Apparel Supply Chains

Announcing the Global Labor Institute

NCP is now the Global Labor Institute at the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations.
GLI Logo
Announcing the Global Labor Institute

Ship Detained After ILR/ILO Workshop on Labor Abuse Among Fishers

A recent training by the ILO, in collaboration with Cornell’s New Conversations Project, has resulted in the South African government detaining a foreign-flagged fishing vessel suspected of engaging in labor abuses.
Jason Judd (left) on the docks with a member of the South African Maritime Authority
Ship Detained After ILR/ILO Workshop on Labor Abuse Among Fishers

In The News

Media Mentions

Advancing adaptation in Southeast Asia

McKinsey & Company
A 2026 report from ILR’s Global Labor Institute, “Cooling Before It Got Cool: Case Studies in Heat Adaptation in Southeast Asian Factories,” is cited in this article about climate change in Southeast Asia.
Advancing adaptation in Southeast Asia

What Fashion Needs to Know About Climate Tipping Points

Vogue
Research from ILR’s Global Labor Institute says that without basic climate adaptation measures, extreme heat and humidity could significantly disrupt garment production, and cost key manufacturing countries several percentage points of GDP.
What Fashion Needs to Know About Climate Tipping Points

AAFA Releases Heat Stress Guidance to Protect Garment Workers

Yahoo News
Binding agreements, near-term collection of heat-stress data and collaboration over enforcement could make new heat stress guidance from the American Apparel & Footwear Association even more effective at helping garment industry workers cope with heat, says Jason Judd, executive director of ILR’s Global Labor Institute. [Syndicated from Sourcing Journal]
AAFA Releases Heat Stress Guidance to Protect Garment Workers

Progress Over Perfection: Lessons From Garment Factories Fighting Heat Stress

Yahoo News
“The factories that have invested proactively are seeing an ROI beyond straight-up ‘we’re more productive,’” said Sarah Krasley, visiting fellow at ILR’s Global Labor Institute, sharing observations from a recent research trip to Cambodia and Vietnam of garment industry cooling methods for hot weather. [Syndicated from Sourcing Journal]
Progress Over Perfection: Lessons From Garment Factories Fighting Heat Stress

Nike Is Moving Jobs to Low-Wage Regions of Indonesia

Pro Publica
Jason Judd, executive director of ILR’s Global Labor Institute, criticizes Nike’s living wage pledge for falling short on achieving a living wage for workers.
Nike Is Moving Jobs to Low-Wage Regions of Indonesia

2026 Will Be ‘Stress Test’ Year for Garment Worker Rights

Yahoo News
Sarosh Kuruvilla, ILR professor and academic director of the Global Labor Institute, comments on how recent increases in U.S. tariffs have affected progress in improving labor rights for workers. [Syndicated from Sourcing Journal]
2026 Will Be ‘Stress Test’ Year for Garment Worker Rights