Apparel exporters develop ‘one-size-fits-all’ code of conduct for all buyers

Bangladesh’s top two apparel trade bodies are developing a set of code of conduct to formulate a unique compliance guideline for all major buyers across the globe.


All the buyers have their own compliance policy and that they ask Bangladeshi manufacturers to go through that specific audit system, which at times get difficult for the local apparel makers to comply with.


They say multiple audits are not only a waste of time and money, but also create audit fatigue making compliance difficult for them. As a result, calls for converging the protocols to audit garment factories are growing within the industry, a release said.


Against such a backdrop, a committee has been formed jointly by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) for working on a unified code of conduct for the RMG industry.


The leaders of BGMEA and BKMEA held a meeting at BGMEA’s PR office in Gulshan, Dhaka, on Sunday where they discussed the unified code of conduct and formed the committee.


BGMEA President Faruque Hassan presided over the meeting which was also attended by BGMEA Vice President Shahidullah Azim, Vice President Miran Ali, Director Asif Ashraf, BKMEA Executive President Mohammad Hatem, Vice President Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, Vice President Md. Akhter Hossain Apurbo, and Director Imran Kader Turjo.


The 11-member committee headed by BGMEA Vice President Miran Ali will carry out thorough assessment of feasibility of a common code of conduct meant for social audits that would incorporate national laws, rules, and policies and international conventions such as UNGP along with buyers’ code of conduct and third-party audit protocols.-BusinessInsider