Sanchita B. Saxena, PhD
Areas of expertise: Business and human rights, the garment industry in Asia, labor conditions in global supply chains, stakeholder engagement, shared responsibility business models and partnerships, effective grievance mechanisms, restructuring social audits, and economic and political development in South Asia.
IN THE NEWS: October 2026
Garment workers at factories supplying major global apparel brands—including H&M and Primark—say that excessive production targets are severely impacting their health and well-being. One worker we interviewed said, "Regardless of the design, the target remains between 100 and 120 pieces per hour. This has a negative impact on our health. We do not drink enough water or use the restroom properly; sometimes, we even hesitate to go, thinking that getting up would waste time. This leads to urinary problems and allergies…We end up injuring our hands while rushing to meet the targets requested. These kinds of injuries happen regularly. Additionally, many people suffer from low blood pressure, causing them to feel dizzy and faint.”
I recently co-organized a workshop with KOOGU Karnataka Garments Workers Union in Bangalore, bringing workers together to discuss workplace pressures and how a negative atmosphere impacts productivity. Beyond identifying challenges, through a series of small group brain storming exercises, participants envisioned a healthier work environment and began shaping a core set of priorities. Over the next few months, we will expand this initiative to gather feedback from more workers, ultimately developing a comprehensive set of supplier guidelines to drive meaningful change.
As another garment worker said, "We are not asking for favors. We put in our hard work, with all our difficulties and make the company reach the orders they have committed. We need to be treated respectfully. When the atmosphere is happy, we work well peacefully and the goods will get ready for dispatch on time with good quality and everyone gets paid."
