Bangladesh's Accord on Fire and Building Safety will have another licensee in the form of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for producing UNC-logoed clothing in the country. This policy will affect each new license contract and renewal for UNC-logoed goods, said the university. All existing licensees are already members of the Accord.

Following the collapse of Rana Plaza factory building in Dhaka nearly two years ago in which more than 1,100 people had lost their lives, nearly 200 companies have signed the Accord. The Accord includes independent safety inspections at factories and public reporting of the results of these inspections.

After an eight-month review of both the Accord and Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety as well as its UNC’s own research, the university has opted for membership of the Accord.

Chancellor Carol Folt is reported to have said that the decision reaffirms UNC’s commitment to worker safety in Bangladesh and clarifies its position on the requirements for licensees that make UNC-logoed clothing in Bangladesh. The university will also provide an update via an annual system-wide review in January next year.