Tariffs are often measured in trade flows and cost volatility, but their deepest impacts fall on workers and their families. Meanwhile climate impacts are intensifying pressure across key hubs. In Bangladesh alone, 36 percent of garment workers have been displaced by climate impacts, with women hit hardest (Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies).
At the same time, brands’ climate goals can unintentionally create pressure on suppliers to cut costs in ways that undermine labour standards, just as new human rights and forced labour rules raise expectations for social performance.
For sustainability teams, the challenge is how to make climate progress in a way that protects workers and supports suppliers, while staying ahead of regulation. This means clearer shared planning, fairer responsibility, and partnerships that safeguard the people who hold supply chains together.
Our panel will explore:
- What a just transition means in practice for brands, suppliers, and workers
- How to integrate worker voices, especially women’s, into climate and operational decisions
- Which impact measures and benchmarks best signal real improvements in worker welfare
- Case studies of initiatives that strengthen support workers and their families
What to expect from this type of session...
Main stage sessions, but not as you know them. Because we’re off-the-record, leading experts can speak candidly about their experience with what works, and what doesn’t. At least half the session is dedicated to audience insights and questions to ensure we tackle the big issues head on.
