Why is the Asia Garment Hub merging with Common Objective and what advantages does this merger bring? 
The Asia Garment Hub (AGH) is dedicated to informing, sharing, and spurring stakeholder collaboration to address critical sustainability challenges in a changing garment industry. By embarking on this exciting journey with Common Objective (CO), we believe it will bring us closer to this vision, leveraging their impressive reach and capabilities, and providing a bigger platform and expanded opportunities for our community to connect, share, and foster partnerships, both in Asia and beyond. 

Why is this merger an important milestone for both Asia Garment Hub and Common Objective? 
This merger brings new opportunities for both platforms and their users. For the Asia Garment Hub, it promises to give our community an expanded network of industry professionals, increased access to diverse resources, and enhanced opportunities for collaboration. The merger combines the strengths of both platforms, fostering a more dynamic and interactive community dedicated to advancing sustainability and decent work in the garment industry. 

How do the missions and visions of the Asia Garment Hub and Common Objective align? 
The Asia Garment Hub and Common Objective align in their shared commitment to driving sustainability, collaboration, and positive impact in the garment industry. Both platforms aim to foster partnerships, provide practical resources, and empower stakeholders to address critical sustainability challenges in the industry. This merger will amplify the collective impact of these efforts, creating a stronger, more united community dedicated to transforming the garment industry for the better. 

What exactly will the transition look like?  
The AGH website will be integrated into Common Objective's platform, creating a unified digital space that retains the core features and resources of AGH while offering additional tools and functionalities familiar to CO members. This transition will ensure an enhanced user experience for AGH users, whilst staying true to the AGH's core mission and values. 

What excites you the most about this new chapter for the Asia Garment Hub? 
We are excited about the expanded possibilities this merger brings, including a larger, more diverse community, enriched resources, and the potential for greater impact in promoting a fairer, more sustainable, and competitive garment industry. This collaboration represents a significant step forward in achieving our shared vision. 

Constantia Chirnside holds a master degree from the university of Cologne, Germany. She has work experience in Namibia, Australia, Germany and Cambodia. She started working for GIZ HQ in Germany in 2019 and is currently located in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, since January 2021. There she works as an advisor for the regional GIZ FABRIC project.

David Williams manages the ILO’s Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable Supply Chains (RISSC) project, which works to improve labour standards and responsible business conduct in key export sectors in Asia. He has over 15 years’ professional experience spanning labour market policy, working conditions, and global supply chains, with a particular focus on Asia. He was previously deputy programme manager for Better Work Vietnam (an ILO-IFC partnership), and also led the ILO's regional apparel programme, Decent Work in Garment Supply Chains Asia, which founded the Asia Garment Hub.