Supply chains

Factory Improvement Toolset case studies: Bangladesh

This report reviews the results of the pilot implementation of Factory Improvement Toolset (FIT) located in Bangladesh.

The Factory Improvement Toolset (FIT) was developed by the ILO under the Sweden-funded Decent Work in Garment Supply Chains Asia project.

Through an activity based, participant-driven methodology that is both scalable and cost-effective, the FIT helps factories advance decent work and sustainability by upgrading processes and practices in a variety of areas, including productivity, working conditions, and environmental practices.

From March 2021 to February 2022, the FIT was piloted in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Pakistan, with the support of business associations and other industry partners. Results were monitored and analysed across 27 enterprises with approximately 450 participants.

The Factory Improvement Toolset (FIT) case studies, developed on these interventions, present the different approaches utilized by different partners for FIT implementation and highlight specific of factory-level interventions that took place in Bangladesh. Four factories (A, B, C, and D) are referenced in the Case Studies, all of which are suppliers to global buyers and brands and employ hundreds to thousands of workers. The documents showcase key findings and lessons learned throughout the pilot programme, including staff and management feedback alongside with real stories from the factory floor demonstrating the effectiveness of FIT as a productivity improvement programme and the benefits gained at the enterprise level across a range of critical areas (workplace relations, resource utilization, productivity).