The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and European apparel brand Stanley Stella held a high-level meeting on 17th September 2025, to discuss advancing sustainability and social compliance in the country’s garment industry.
The meeting was chaired by BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan and Director Nafis-Ud-Doula, with participation from Stanley Stella’s Sustainability Director. Discussions focused on strengthening collaboration in renewable energy, green transition strategies, and ethical business practices amid tightening global sustainability requirements.
Both sides acknowledged that international buyers, governments, and particularly the European Union’s upcoming sustainability directives are placing increasing pressure on apparel supply chains to ensure transparency and accountability. Bangladesh, they noted, is well-positioned to take a leadership role in advancing social and environmental responsibility.
Key areas of discussion included:
Renewable Energy: With limited land availability, Bangladesh is gradually increasing renewable energy capacity and water reuse systems. The Merchant Power Purchase Agreement was highlighted as a positive policy step toward wider adoption of clean energy.
Scope 3 Emissions: Stanley Stella reiterated its target to cut Scope 3 emissions by 30 percent by 2030, stressing the importance of close cooperation with Bangladeshi suppliers to achieve this goal.
Green Transition and SME Support: The talks underscored the need for low-cost financing mechanisms to help factories—particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs)—embrace sustainable practices.
Unified Code of Conduct: Both organizations explored the idea of creating a common code of conduct to streamline compliance requirements, reduce audit fatigue, and enhance transparency across the industry.
The meeting concluded with a mutual pledge to strengthen collaboration, with both BGMEA and Stanley Stella recognizing that joint initiatives are critical for building a more sustainable, ethical, and competitive future for Bangladesh’s garment sector.
