Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association President Faruque Hassan has emphasised the critical importance of addressing human rights and environmental concerns in today’s interconnected global economy.
Speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on Thursday, he highlighted Bangladesh’s vision for sustainability and outlined BGMEA’s Sustainability Vision 2030, which includes ambitious targets for reducing carbon emissions, sustainable raw material usage, groundwater usage, chemical usage, energy consumption, and deforestation, said a press release.
The vision also emphasises inclusive work practices, gender equality, and good governance, with an online data platform to monitor progress.
Faruque stressed the need for learning about due diligence protocols, capacity building, and transparency to ensure future business success.
Bangladesh-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BGCCI) hosted the seminar on the German Due Diligence Supply Chain Act in Dhaka.
The event brought together distinguished industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to discuss the significance of human rights and environmental due diligence in the global business landscape.
Dr Michael Klode, project manager, Programme for Sustainability in the Textile and Leather Sector (STILE), GIZ gave a presentation on German Due Diligence Supply Chain Act, focusing on different aspects of the new law.
M Maksud, president, and Dr Md Kamruzzaman, senior vice president of BGCCI also spoke at the seminar.
BGMEA’s commitment to supporting manufacturers in adapting to new regulations was highlighted with the establishment of the ‘Responsible Business Hub.’ This dedicated unit, supported by GIZ, serves as an information centre, providing training, awareness, and guidance on Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence.
The BGMEA president also called upon stakeholders, particularly buyers, to consider the cost of compliance and collaborate to share the burden, ensuring competitiveness and fairness.
Faruque emphasised the need for uniformity among different international legislation to avoid conflicting obligations. He stressed the importance of continuous attention and collaboration among supply chain stakeholders to create an enabling environment for responsible business practices.
