US lifts import ban on Malaysian glove maker YTY

KUALA LUMPUR: The United States on Thursday lifted a year-long ban on the import of goods made by Malaysian rubber glove maker YTY Industry Holdings Sdn Bhd, saying the firm has resolved suspected labour abuses.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had banned YTY products in January, 2022, citing reasonable evidence showing the use of "forced labour" in YTY's manufacturing operations, including abusive living and working conditions.

On Thursday, the CBP said YTY has taken various remedial steps to address the forced labour indicators, and that the company has reimbursed migrant workers for recruitment fees they paid and commissioned an independent social audit.

"Accordingly, CBP determined that YTY Group's disposable gloves are no longer being produced using forced labour," the Customs agency said in a statement.

Malaysian companies, including some of the world's major suppliers of palm oil and medical gloves, have come under increased scrutiny over suspected abuse of foreign workers, a significant part of the country's manufacturing workforce.

YTY said it was in the process of notifying its U.S. customers and looked forward to re-establishing supply relationships, following the lifting of the import ban.

"Even with CBP's announcement, YTY recognizes the ambitious social compliance targets we have set for ourselves will require an ongoing focus," it said in a statement.

"We remain fully committed to devoting the time, resources, and leadership attention required to ensure we remain at the forefront of positive change within our industry."