Sustainable procurement in the RMG sector of Bangladesh: a focus on ethical practices & environmental impact
Abstract
"Sustainable procurement involves purchasing environmentally preferable products and services. This study focuses on sustainable Procurement Practices (SPP) in the ready-made garments (RMG) sector of Bangladesh, examining their impacts, benefits, and existing gaps. The research aims to investigate how RMG firms procure, purchase, and produce recycled and eco-friendly products to minimize their environmental impact. Many garment companies are actively working to enhance the environmental performance of their operations and products, and incorporating green procurement practices is a natural extension of these efforts. This paper demonstrates how these practices are adopted as a means to improve products and operations from an environmental perspective, reducing risks, total cost of ownership, and enhancing supply chain performance.
The study reveals various sustainable procurement practices applied by the garments industry in different functions, including raw materials, machinery purchase, packaging and distribution, operations, office components, disposals, and suppliers' engagement. The findings show that 14% of firms are committed to implementing green procurement. Specifically, 7% purchase machinery with Eco Labels, 18% opt for energy-star-rated machinery, 12% prefer equipment repair, 68% procure sustainable raw materials, and 16% invest in recycled plastic products. Additionally, 92% prioritize chemicals that are not harmful to human health or the environment, while 92% seek Oeko-Tex-100 certification, and 84% obtain Environment Clearance from the Ministry of Environment. Furthermore, 16% use bio-based packaging, 100% choose materials that are not harmful to human health, and 16% focus on reducing consumption through reuse or recycling, with an additional 8% reusing or recycling used products.
However, there is a noticeable gap between the sustainable procurement standards and the actual practices followed by the garments industry. Despite being closely linked to the broader goals of sustainable development, implementing SPP faces certain barriers. To bridge this gap, firm management should educate their employees about the best green procurement practices in different operations. Additionally, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) could introduce regulations on sustainable procurement for all firms to follow.
Though many buyers from Europe and America have been instructed few guidelines regarding the sustainable procurement practice. They pushed the factories to ensure this before manufacturing the goods as well as before shipping the goods to these countries. Not only that they also take the information of raw materials from where these are sourced & their making policy whether they have ensured sustainability or not? That is why they demanded few certificates which ensure the product manufacturing process of sustainability. For example, the certificate GRS (Global Recycle Standard) ensures the standard of maintaining of recycle process during the time of manufacturing of raw materials.
Oeko Tex certificate ensures that no hazardous chemicals were used in making of dyeing items such as button, sewing thread, yarn and fabric.
SEDEX certificate ensures that no child labor was worked during the making of goods in the finishing factory as well as manufacturing factories.
Also, FSC certificate ensures that paper items made of not cutting the forest or harming the weather because this paper was made the cultivated forest which only cultivated for making the paper items such as hang tag, back board, photo box and cartons.
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