LafargeHolcim, Swisscontact sign agreement to support waste management in MSMEs

Swisscontact Bangladesh has recently teamed up with Geocycle Bangladesh, the waste management wing of LafargeHolcim Bangladesh Limited, to implement a green initiative in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the leather goods sector of Bhairab, Kishoreganj. 

The agreement is also endorsed by the Bhairab Municipality and Bhairab Paduka Karkhana Malik Somobay Somity Limited, reads a press release. 

Under this multi stakeholder agreement, Swisscontact will deploy innovative solid waste management solutions as initiatives of B-SkillFUL Phase II and Prabriddhi, two programmes funded by Switzerland.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Thursday (23 June) at the Hotel Amari, Dhaka between the Bhairab Municipality, Bhairab Paduka Karkhana Malik Somobay Somity Limited, Geocycle and Swisscontact.  

Representations from the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh and all parties concerned attended the event.

This initiative addresses environmental pollution, caused by the enormous volume of solid waste generated by Bhairab's leather goods sector, by establishing a safe and environment-friendly process of waste collection, disposal and recycling. 

As a result, this initiative will create multiple impacts in improving working conditions within MSMEs, reducing environmental hazards and promoting cost effective and green production processes.

This partnership further strengthens Switzerland's increased focus on climate change and environment in Bangladesh.

Implemented by Swisscontact, the B-SkillFUL Programme is a four-year skills and enterprise development programme of Swisscontact not only aims to improve the productivity and competitiveness among workers by creating better jobs but also promotes more environmentally sustainable practices among participating MSMEs. 

And the Prabriddhi programme focuses on building the capacity of urban or rural territories to create a competitive advantage for their enterprises through a broad set of activities and improve the economic well-being of its people and workers.