H&m in Cambodia

shith H&M IN CAMBODIA

In Cambodia, a company supplying garments for big name brands such as H&M has shown that improving working conditions can increase productivity. Globalisation means that factories have to respond fast to the demands of the fashion business, but as ILO TV reports, in labour relations, Archid garments is setting the trend.

Like most young women, Ly Nita cares about appearances. But it's not so much about the clothes she wears as about the clothes she makes...

I'm a team leader who is responsible for the quantity and quality of the product and for training the workers to work properly, so I have to explain to them or show them how to do it. When a new fashion comes along, I need to train the workers so they are skilled enough to be able to produce it.

Ly Nita works at Archid, a Cambodian supplier of garments for H&M, one of the world's trendiest fashion names. But being trendy means keeping up and changing with the fast-paced whims of a global market. So Archid turned to the International Labour Organization, or ILO, for help in improving factory conditions, workers' rights and their relations with management. They've had measurable results...

Hiu

We hear back from our customers that the quality of our products has improved dramatically.

As the quality has improved, so has the factory's customer base which has tripled.

Xuang Zhadong

Of course I'd like the factory to continue to improve, to expand next year which realistically would lead to an increase in wages.

Workers' wages have already increased at Archid, while working hours and staff turnover have been reduced. Archid is setting a trend for other factories in Cambodia.

Xuang Zhadong

Of course I'd like the factory to continue to improve, to expand next year which realistically would lead to an increase in wages.

Workers' wages have already increased at Archid, while working hours and staff turnover have been reduced. Archid is setting a trend for other factories in Cambodia.

Motthida Chin, ILO

They have proved that improving working conditions does increase productivity; as seen they have increased their output by 30 percent, they have expanded their factory base, they have improved their communication with management and workers...

For H&M, it is a win-win situation as well...

Sara Wong

It gets the worker involved and they can have better cooperation