Loblaws has committed to a policy of verifying the structural safety of buildings where its goods are produced in Bangladesh and elsewhere. Galen G. Weston, executive chairman of Loblaws, said he has been appalled by the silence of the garment industry to the collapse of a factory in that country last month. Mr.Weston said that Loblaws will take the lead to try to secure the structural integrity of factories. This will involve having Loblaws personnel on the ground as monitors. Mr.Weston spoke at the Mattamy Athletic Centre and was accompanied by Joe Mimrand, the creator of the Joe Fresh brand owned by Loblaws. At the news conference, one reporter questioned whether there was anything that foreign companies could do because the Bangladeshi government is so untrustworthy. Mr Mimrand noted that a major reason that Joe Fresh is manufactured in Bangladesh is the reciprocity treaty the country has with Canada and Ottawa’s encouragement of firms to take advantage of this for the purpose of helping the Bangladesh economy.
