DHAKA, June 12, 2021 (BSS) – Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has been awarded with the prestigious ‘2021 Leadership Award’ by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) for the Association’s efforts for building a green garment sector.
“BGMEA is the first organisation in the world to receive such an award. It is a big international recognition for us,” BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said this in a virtual press conference from the association’s Gulshan office in the capital today.
Currently, Bangladesh has 143 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified garment factories – the highest in the world. Of the 143 factories, 41 are platinum rated and the rest are gold and silver rated ones certified by the USGBC.
Some 500 more garment factories are waiting to be certified by the USGBC as green factory buildings, Hassan said.
Of the top 10 LEED certified buildings, nine are in Bangladesh, which reflects the country’s efforts to follow good practices for saving the environment during production.
Faruque said he believed that “Actions should be louder than work,” for which the BGMEA has been implementing various capacity building programmes for making smooth the path for green industrialization.
The BGMEA president said as the country’s pioneering export industry, the RMG industry holds the responsibility of running the engine of economic growth of the country. “But while we do it, we cannot stay indifferent to the negative externalities of growth especially when it comes to the environment. One of the most eminently scientific ways of keeping the balance of growth and sustainability is ‘Green Factory Building’,” he said.
He said these buildings are environment friendly in planning, design, construction and operation, which reduce or eliminate negative impacts and improve our quality of life through its lifetime.
The green factory building is a commendable effort to amplify the positive and minimize the negative impacts of it throughout its entire life cycle, with foremost concentration in energy use, water use, indoor environmental quality, material selection and its effects on the site.
These buildings have cleaner air circulation, more access to daylight, less pollution, harm free chemical paints and finishing, which create a healthier working environment. The improved quality of the environment does not only reduce prevalence of asthma and respiratory allergies, but also encourages workers and boosts retention rate and productivity.
Faruque said the BGMEA is partnering with Global Fashion Agenda, Reverse Resources and p4g and developed “Circular Fashion Partnership”. The platform started to develop a feasible business model to implement a circular economy in the sector and closing the loop.
BGMEA being the only association in Bangladesh has published its own “Sustainability Reporting” based on GRI guidelines.
He said 47 of BGMEA’s member factories have published SDGs reports partnering with the SDGs coordinator under the PMO, GoB and UNDP.
Besides, he said the BGMEA supports its member factories to facilitate green transformation through different ways.
Faruque also devoted this award to the greatest Bengali of all time Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the Nation is celebrating the birth centenary of Bangabandhu and also the golden jubilee of the country’s independence.
He hoped that the young entrepreneurs of the country would pull ahead this RMG sector to a much higher position.
He also extended his heartfelt thanks to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as Bangladesh is moving ahead under her farsighted leadership. “The readymade garment sector is indebted specially to the Prime Minister,”
The BGMEA President thanked the valued buyers, development partners and donors especially GIZ, IFC, ILO, diplomatic missions especially German embassy, Dutch Embassy, Danish embassy, Swedish embassy, British High Commission for their unprecedented support and cooperation.
“I used to say, sustainability is not a sprint it’s a marathon and by no way we shall lose the race.” added Faruque.