Bangladesh Denim Expo sets CSR standards for exhibitors
The expo organiser wants its exhibitors to be socially and environmentally compliant
Bangladesh Denim Expo has set some minimum necessary standards for all exhibiting denim mills and garment manufacturers participating in its upcoming event.
The standards are mainly on corporate social responsibility (CSR), environmental compliance and responsible chemical usage.
"We want to make the industry more sustainable by ensuring ethical production processes and those standards will be enforced in the upcoming edition of the expo for the first time," said Mostafiz Uddin, founder and CEO of Bangladesh Denim Expo.
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Under the new initiative, the expo requires proof of industry compliance and certifications, such as the SA8000, WRAP, BSCI, ETI, FLA, or SEDEX-SMETA.
Earlier in February this year, the Kingpins Show at Amsterdam, Netherlands also made a similar announcement.
Bangladesh Denim Expo and Kingpins Show, both are upgrading their requirement standards to ensure a better and socially responsible denim industry, said founder Mostafiz.
He also hoped that other exhibition organizers will start setting such standards as well.
"We believe that trade shows have the opportunity to hold the industry accountable and we are proud to be at the forefront of this movement," Mostafiz, also the managing director of Bangladesh Denim Expert Ltd – a denim garment and washing plant at Chattagram Export Processing Zone.
Generally, all the brands and retailers used to check their suppliers' social compliance standards and other standards' certification before placing any order. As an expo organizer, Bangladesh Denim Expo wishes its exhibitors to be socially and environmentally compliant.
The expo organizer also hoped that exhibition will help participants get orders from buyers and retailers. It will also help buyers and retailers to place their orders to a responsible supplier.
"We don't expect everyone to join the Bangladesh Denim Expo, but those who join will have comply with CSR, environmental and chemical usage standards," said Mostafiz Uddin.
"Our objective is not only to promote and improve the denim industry within Bangladesh, but also to encourage sustainable and transparent business practices that benefit both the people of our country and the global environment as a whole," he added.
He explained that the adoption of a clear and unified approach on sustainable chemical management in the denim supply chain will reduce complexity, increase transparency, improve communication and, ultimately lower costs – both for certification and the evaluation tests for chemical substances.
The upcoming 11th edition of Bangladesh Denim Expo is going to be held at the International Convention City, Bashundhara in Dhaka from November 5-6, with the theme "Responsibility."
Organizers said this edition will host a total of 91 exhibitors from 11 countries including host country Bangladesh. The other countries are: China, Japan, Italy, India, Singapore, Brazil, Spain, Pakistan, Turkey and Germany.
