FROM PAGE 12

“She was critical to the Bangladesh Safety Accord after the Rana Plaza factory collapse in 2013, urging brands in the Global North to sign up, and she made sure that worker groups were involved in the European Union’s Sustainability Compact (a series of EU initiatives and measures aimed at promoting sustainability and a circular economy within the trade bloc and through international partnerships),” it added.

Vogue Business noted that Kalpona is driven by a deep commitment to labour justice, gender equality and climate resilience for working-class communities and that she is a continued ally of workers in their struggle against systemic oppression.

“This year, she demanded a substantial increase in the minimum wage for Bangladeshi garment workers and championed their rights on the global stage, actively pushing for the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) to include legally binding measures that protect workers and prevent human rights violations,” said the magazine.

It noted Kalpona’s work involves championing a “just transition” to a more sustainable future.

This year’s list includes entrepreneurs, founders, tech innovators and industry disruptors.

“It was never easy to be a sustainability thought leader, but this year has tested even the strongest-willed. From the US to the EU, politicians have whipped up an anti-ESG (environmental, social, and governance) frenzy, prompting regulators to roll back hard-won policy momentum and taking the wind out of the fashion industry’s sustainability efforts in the process,” the magazine mentioned.

“Undeterred by political, economic and organisational headwinds, these innovators are pushing fashion to confront its social and environmental impacts head-on.”

Laudes Foundation, an independent philanthropic organisation, congratulated Kalpona for her fearless advocacy for garment workers.