In this powerful episode of Business & a Brew, Dani and Si dive into the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh and ask a hard-hitting question: do big brands really care about factory safety, or only when they’re forced to? They unpack what happened on 24 April 2013, how an unsafe eight‑storey building employing thousands of garment workers was allowed to exist, and why warning signs were ignored until it was too late.

Dani and Si explore the uncomfortable realities behind cheap fashion, from poverty wages and complex subcontracting chains to the “agency problem” that lets brands claim ignorance while pushing for ever lower prices and faster turnaround. They break down what changed after the disaster - including the legally binding Bangladesh Accord and its evolution into a wider international framework - and what hasn’t, especially for workers still outside the spotlight of Western scrutiny.

Whether you’re a business owner sourcing overseas, a consumer rethinking your wardrobe, or someone curious about how ethics, brand reputation, and global supply chains collide, this episode will challenge how you see that simple label: “Made in Bangladesh.”

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business.

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat.

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.