Background
Despite statutory requirements for compliance with social and environmental standards, many businesses are still not able to fulfil them. Regulatory frameworks are weak and government actors need expertise and personnel to enforce the legislation, while factories and tanneries require knowledge and qualified staff familiar with social and environmental standards.
Objective
The project "Promotion of Social and Environmental Standards in the Industry (PSES)" supports the government, private sector and civil society to pursue a course of sustainable growth in the textile, Ready-Made Garments (RMG) and leather industries in Bangladesh.
Approach
PSES focuses on developing sectoral strategies for sustainable growth as well as legislation and standards for safeguarding the environment and the rights of workers, including provisions for the inclusion of persons with disabilities. The project is assisting to enhance safety, create a healthy working environment, and reduce pollution.
As a partner to business, government and civil society, PSES contributes to strengthening the systemic competitiveness of Bangladesh’s textile, RMG and leather industries in sustainable economic, social and environmental dimensions. PSES contributes to achievement of the government’s vision of further growth through building business associations’ capacities on strategy development and implementation. Another focus is facilitating key public, private and civil society actors to implement shared responsibility cooperation models, for example in enabling workers, especially women, to participate in sustainability monitoring in the industry, in areas like operational safety, environmental issues or social standards.
Additionally, the project works with national NGOs to provide injured workers and persons with disability a chance to re-enter the workforce through the Inclusive Job Centre (IJC), which provides counseling, training and job referral services.
Cumulative Results (from January 2010 to June 2019)
• Over 1,000 partner factories attained measurable improvements in their working conditions through PSES’ factory improvement programme
• More than 270,000 workers, mostly female, provided information about their rights and responsibilities through women’s cafés, for improving social dialogue and industrial relations
• Over 10,000 disputes between workers and management in the garments sector have been resolved amicably through women’s cafes
• A pilot mini fire station showing the effectiveness of locating professional fire response teams and resources directly in industrial areas, reducing the risks to workers
• About 930 persons with disabilities registered at the IJC for counseling, job retention and referral support, of which more than 300 have received support in successfully finding a suitable job in a factory.
• Over 2,300 women trained on vocational qualifications to obtain employment in the garment and textile industries, including 286 women with disabilities.
• Over 300 factories improved their environmental standards in solid waste and wastewater management, electrical safety, water reduction, chemical management and energy consumption
• National standards and guidelines for sludge management have been developed jointly with the Department of Environment (DoE)
• The International University of Business Agriculture and Technology now offers a certificate course on wastewater management using toolkits, training modules and training provided by GIZ