ASICS wants monitoring of Cambodian sub-contractors after accident
Phnom Penh - The Japanese athletics brand ASICS said Friday that it would push its four Cambodian sub-contractors to join a programme that monitors conditions in garment and shoe factories.
The statement followed an accident Thursday at the Wing Star Shoes factory south-west of Phnom Penh, which killed two workers and injured 11 when a section of concrete ceiling collapsed.
"We will strongly request to our sub-contractors in Cambodia to sign up to this programme," Katsumi Funakoshi, ASICS spokesman, said by email.
The Better Factories Cambodia programme, which is voluntary, was set up in 2001 and is run by the International Labour Organization. It monitors factories making clothing and shoes for export to ensure they comply with a range of issues, such as fire safety, working conditions and prompt payment of wages.
Thursday's accident showed the programme should also monitor factory construction, its chief technical adviser, Jill Tucker, said.
She said the programme had good relations with 40 international brands but stressed that all were from Europe, the United States and Canada.
She called on the hundreds of buyers from other countries that source from Cambodia, including Japan, to take responsibility for the factories where their products were made and join the initiative.
Thursday's accident at Wing Star, which employs 7,000 workers and is one of the biggest factories in the country, was blamed on shoddy construction.//DPA
