The Sustainable Apparel Forum (SAF) will take place in Dhaka on the 5th of November 2019, to accelerate the momentum of sustainability in the Bangladesh apparel industry. This will be the second edition of the Sustainable Apparel Forum, the largest annual sustainable apparel event in Bangladesh. The theme of this year’s Forum is ‘enabling sustainability through policy and leadership.’
This year’s SAF promises to be the largest yet. Mr Mostafiz Uddin, Founder, Bangladesh Apparel Exchange shared recently, “the title for this year’s Sustainable Apparel Forum is enabling sustainability through policy and leadership. The time for talking on sustainability issues is over. It is now time for actions. That’s why the focus of this year’s show is on practical, pragmatic actions the textile industry can adopt to improve its environmental footprint.” Mr Mostafiz Uddin was recently featured by TIME Magazine as a game changer in the apparel sector in Bangladesh.
This will be an international convening to discuss Bangladesh’s actions to be a key player to make sustainable apparel industry a reality. Based on the convening, a series of recommendations will be made, and a Sustainability Roadmap for the Bangladesh apparel industry will be formulated.
SAF will see more than 50 speakers gathered from Bangladesh and overseas sharing expert opinions across five panel discussions covering current issues in the country’s apparel industry. These include human resources, transparency in business, water conservation, purchasing practices and climate change. Additionally, the conference will host several knowledge building technical presentations from renowned organisations which will cover different issues relating to sustainability, including waste management, protection of the environment and better working conditions.
The 2nd Sustainable Apparel Forum (SAF) is going to be organized by Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) where Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers’ and Exporters’ Association (BGMEA) is the Co-organizer. The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is the title Sponsor of the event while H&M is ‘In Association With’ Partners and Better Work Bangladesh and C&A Foundation are partners in the event.
The conference will be followed by showcasing different innovative, sustainable and good work practices in RMG manufacturing factories in Bangladesh.
Interested in joining the event? Please register via http://sustainableapparelforum.com/register.
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Speakers at the forum include
- Tipu Munshi, MP, Honorable Commerce Minister, Bangladesh
- Dr. Tawfiq-E-Elahi Chowdhury, Energy Adviser to Honorable Prime Minister Bangladesh
- Md. Shahriar Alam, MP, Honourable State Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh
- H. E. Benoit Preìfonatine High Commissioner, High Commission of Canada to Bangladesh
- H.E. Harry Verweij, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Bangladesh
- H.E. Winnie Estrup Petersen, Ambassador of Denmark to Bangladesh
- H.E. Charlotta Schlyter, Ambassador of Sweden to Bangladesh
Industry experts speaking at the forum amongst others are
- Dr. Rubana Huq, President, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers’ and Exporters’ Association
- Sheikh Fazle Fahim, President, Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industries
- Han Bekke, President, International Apparel Federation (IAF)
- Jill Tucker, Head of Labour Rights Program, C&A Foundation
- Pierre Börjesson, Head of Sustainability – Global Production, H&M Group
- Tuomo Poutiainen, Country Director, International Labor Organization
- Peter McCallister, Executive Director, Ethical Trading Initiative
Prior to this year’s forum, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh and the Sweden Embassy in Bangladesh will also co-host two roundtable discussions.