Swisscontact (PROGRESS) and Embassy of Sweden celebrate World Environment Day

Swisscontact (PROGRESS) and the Embassy of Sweden have collaborated to celebrate the 51st anniversary of the World Environment Day.

The event, held at the factory, Multifabs Limited in Gazipur, centered around the theme "Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience," emphasising its relevance to the RMG sector in Bangladesh, reads a press release. 

Ikramul H. Sohel, Senior National Programme Officer at the Embassy of Sweden, honored the occasion with his presence at Multifabs Ltd. The event featured insightful speeches from Ms. Syeda Ishrat Fatema, Head of Programme & Team Leader (PROGRESS) at Swisscontact, Shoriful Islam, Head of Business Assurance at Intertek Bangladesh, Mr. Abu Shehab, AGM- HR (Human Resources) & Admin at Multifabs Limited and Mr. Ripul Miah, Manager of Compliance and Sustainability at Multifabs Limited.  Approximately 50 attendees were present at the event, including representatives from the Embassy of Sweden, international non-governmental organisations, factory management, and their associated private businesses for the green transition. They convened to showcase and discuss their work on environmental preservation and sustainability.

At the event, Intertek Bangladesh Ltd., a leading audit firm, emphasized the importance of green skills across all organizational levels during their presentation. They highlighted the need to identify and implement these skills to address the energy transition and renewable energy use, particularly within the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector. A key focus was on GHG accounting and sustainability reporting, which, while not yet mandatory, could soon transform the industry. Given the RMG sector's significant contribution to Bangladesh's greenhouse gas emissions, adopting sustainable practices is crucial to meet the country's commitments under the Paris Agreement and align with international brands' net-zero targets.

Intertek Bangladesh is collaborating with the PROGRESS project to provide technical support to Multifabs Limited for adhering to the green transition through initiatives such as Reducing carbon emissions from fashion industries, which sets and validates emissions reduction targets aligned with the net zero targets. Besides Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) report under the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) reporting framework that involves disclosing information on key social, economic, and environmental indicators, which is crucial for attracting buyers, enhancing brand reputation, managing climate change risks, complying with regulations, and avoiding greenwashing. Capacity building on GRI began in October 2023, with the first report anticipated in June this year. Additionally, 70 factory workers at Multifabs Limited have received Green Skills training, covering legal requirements, management systems, water and energy management, waste management, and chemical management. This training equips workers to contribute to environmentally friendly and sustainable industrial growth.

The PROGRESS project supports the RMG sector in Bangladesh by promoting sustainability and enhancing environmental performance. Adopting green production practices is crucial since international brands increasingly demand rigorous sustainability standards, including the measurement and disclosure of GHG emissions, water usage, and waste management practices. Compliance with these standards is both an environmental responsibility and a business necessity; factories that fail to meet these expectations risk losing business and damaging their reputation globally.

It is also worth mentioning that Multifabs Limited is integrating sustainable practices into its business, such as installing solar panels for clean energy, implementing effluent treatment plants for wastewater treatment, and engaging in other green initiatives. These efforts set a benchmark for other factories to follow.

The event concluded with participants making a symbolic green pledge, affirming their commitment to integrating sustainable practices into their personal and professional lives.