Sustainability textile legislation or the new license to operate in the EU: Are local perspectives the missing piece to a sustainable sector?
One of the key discussions in the textile and garment industry over the last years concerns regulations and legislation originating from the EU and the USA. Questions as ‘Which problems can EU/US laws fix?’’ and ‘’What is the role of due diligence laws?’’ have been asked. These two questions, while important, have been discussed in other fora, and to discuss them in a regional event with significant local participation may be a missed opportunity to focus on a question with more local importance: ‘’Which problems require local solutions?’’.
Or to put it another way: Are we missing local voices and solutions in sustainable-sector conversations by focusing mainly on EU/US legislative and regulatory actions? Each production country has its own unique problems and issues, such as how to stay competitive or different regulatory or legislative environments. Taking this into account, local perspectives depict the essential piece of the puzzle when finding out what is really needed.
This year’s Asian Dialogues conference was inaugurated with opening remarks by Marc Beckmann, Project Director at GIZ FABRIC, Ken Loo, Secretary General at GMAC and HE. Dr. Huot Pum, Undersecretary of State at MEF.
Pascale Moreau, Consultant at Ohana Public Affairs, thematized in her keynote speech that the EU has launched a structural change of the textile and footwear industry based on sustainability. This new license to operate in the EU will represent a business opportunity and create a space to create competitive advantages.
SPEAKERS: Opening Panel
Shams Mahmud, Managing Director at Shasha Denims Ltd, Shasha Spinning Ltd and Shasha Textiles
Shams Mahmud has been actively engaged with the private sector since 2008. He currently holds the position of Managing Director at Shasha Denims Ltd, Shasha Spinning Ltd, Shasha Textiles, Director of Shasha Garments Ltd and EOS Textile Mills Ltd . He is also appointed as the Honorary Consul of FDR Ethiopia to Bangladesh and is also a Capstone Fellow of the National Defence College. Mr Mahmud serves as the Secretary General of Consul Crops Bangladesh and Vice President of Philippines Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Mr Mahmud also served as the President of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry in 2020 and is the Chairman of the Standing Committee For Foreign Mission Cell in BGMEA and Co Chairman of the Standing Committee for Readymade Garments, Knitwear, Sweater etc in the FBCCI.
Oanh Nguyen, Manager Health Safety Environment & Sustainability, SAITEX
Oanh Nguyen graduated with a Health Safety Environment master's degree. She currently works as Manager in Health Safety Environment & Sustainability for the Saitex International Group in Viet Nam since 2016. She has 17 years’ experience in shoes factories and the garment industry.
Stephen Frost, Co-founder of GoBlu
Stephen is one of the recognized pioneers of CSR in Asia, with deep experience in consulting with business and numerous stakeholders across the region for than 20 years. He was the co-founder of Asia’s first CSR consultancy, CSA Asia, and is a co-founder of GoBlu. Until 2021, he was also a lecturer in the Department of Management, CUHK Business School, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and an Honorary Institute Fellow at the Asia Pacific Institute of Business at CUHK. He currently oversees the Kyna Intel Sustainable Fashion News email newsletters, app, and online newsfeed and database.
Thomas Hesketh, Deputy Director at EuroCham Cambodia
As well as supporting overall chamber operations, Thomas Hesketh manages the implementation of grants and projects across Cambodia and facilitates the market entry of firms interested in the Kingdom. In particular, his projects have focused on trade & investment promotion in Cambodia for clients such as Swisscontact, Oxfam, ARISE+, as well as several embassies and private corporations. Before joining EuroCham, Thomas was a consultant at Emerging Markets Consulting (EMC), where his work included the development and implementation of project methodologies for both development partners and private sector companies, including Save the Children, Plan International, The World Bank, IFC and GIZ. Before this, Thomas worked as a Business Management Scheme entrant for BT Group Plc, and before venturing into telecommunications, at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals as a Regulatory Strategist at the firm’s UK headquarters.