On April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, tragically collapsed, killing more than 1,100 garment workers and injuring thousands more. The incident shocked the world and exposed severe shortcomings in workplace safety, labor conditions, and corporate responsibility within global supply chains. It became a defining moment for the garment industry and a catalyst for stronger due diligence expectations.

What Happened at Rana Plaza? Rana Plaza housed several garment factories producing for international brands. Despite visible structural cracks identified the day before, factory managers ordered workers to return to their stations to meet production deadlines. When the building collapsed, the failure to prioritize human life over profit was painfully evident.

Link to Due Diligence Due diligence refers to the responsibility of companies to identify, prevent, and mitigate risks related to human rights, labor conditions, and safety within their supply chains. The Rana Plaza collapse revealed how weak or absent due diligence can lead to catastrophic consequences.

Many international brands sourcing from Rana Plaza claimed they were unaware of the unsafe working conditions. However, due diligence is not simply about awareness—it requires active monitoring, auditing, and taking corrective actions to ensure workers’ safety and dignity.

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