18 apparel makers receive Sustainability Leadership Awards

Eighteen textile and readymade garment factories have been honoured with the Sustainability Leadership Award for their outstanding performance in three categories – social standards, environmental excellence and innovative excellence.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and German-based Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH jointly organised the award-giving programme for the third time in the country.

The representatives of the factories received the awards on Thursday, the sixth day of the "Made in Bangladesh Week", at the international convention city Bashundhara in the capital, in the presence of Parliament Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan and GIZ Project Manager Michael Klode.

"The main objective of this award is to recognise the best of the RMG industry and present them to the global audience in order to promote compliance. I believe such a programme would tremendously uplift the image of our apparel industry at home and abroad. At the same time, it will encourage us further for sustainable development," Faruque Hassan said.

"Today, our clothing factories are not only safer but also dynamic, modern, energy-efficient and environment-friendly," he noted and hopes that the country's apparel makers will keep prioritising sustainability in the coming days.

Michael Klode said, "Germany which ranks top among the EU countries in importing textile made in Bangladesh is committed to continuing its support to the compliant factories."

In the welcome speech, BGMEA Director Abdullah Hil Rakib said they received a total of 254 applications from 84 factories for 18 awards.

The awardees

A total of six factories received the awards in three subcategories under the social standards category. Vintage Denim Studio was announced champion and Echotex Limited runner-up for the most convincing factory setup, while Ananta Garments and Pacific Jeans received the award for women empowerment at the workplace.  

Furthermore, Epyllion Knitwear and Flamingo Fashions were picked for the best-supported social initiatives in the neighbourhood of factories.

In the environmental excellence, Envoy Textiles and Zaber & Zubair Fabrics were recognised as environmental champions, while Color City and Universal Jeans were honoured for water use reduction and Matin Spinning Mills, SIMCO Spinning and Textiles, and Karupannya Rangpur for recycling of textile waste materials. 

Karupannya Rangpur also received the award in the innovation excellence category for best innovation from the business perspective. JM Fabrics got the award for the same reason.

Beximco Recover and Jinnat Fashions got the honour for best innovation for the future, and Square Fashions and SQ Celsius for best innovation for workers' welfare under the innovation excellence category.