There are serious limits on the usefulness of the data because of the way it is being shared. The data could tell us so much more if it were posted in accordance with a few best practices for open data:..Make the data accessible. Existing databases and factory lists post data in a variety of formats that are not user-friendly....Standardize the way factories are identified. Identifying the same factory across databases is made incredibly difficult by inconsistencies in the way factories are listed....Post historical data. None of the existing databases – those hosted by the government, the trade associations, or the Accord and the Alliance – post historical data. Each posts only a list of current factories, which makes it impossible to assess trends over time....Increased focus on factory safety in Bangladesh is moving the country toward much-needed transparency in the supply chain. The adoption of open data best practices is a critical next step toward assessing the full universe of factories and ensuring the long-term sustainability of Bangladesh's primary export industry.