Sustainability in practice: A supply chain perspective on Bangladesh’s textile and ready-made garment industry

Abstract

The paper “Sustainability in Practice: A Supply Chain Perspective on Bangladesh’s Textile and Ready-Made Garment (RMG) Industry” looks at how Bangladesh's biggest export industry moved from compliance to strategy. The research investigates how environmental, social, and economic sustainability are integrated into the RMG supply chain and the institutional and operational factors that affect its adoption. This descriptive research surveys 60 professionals in sustainability concepts such as the Triple Bottom Line, Sustainable Supply Chain Management, Creating Shared Value, and Institutional Theory of Tier 1–3 Bangladeshi garment manufacturers. The respondents were better prepared for occupational safety, training, and audits for social sustainability, and environmental compliance regarding effluent treatment and chemical management (62.2/100). The level of local sourcing, cost analytics, and digital traceability is generally poor, affecting economic sustainability by not integrating procurement properly. Coercive buyer limits found to advance the twin goals of sustainable adoption and industry normative and mimetic learning. Improved institutional governance, SME capacity development, and incentive-based green funding are recommended. These findings thus point to a strategic 2025–2030 roadmap at the level of government, industry, and buyer. According to studies, the RMG industry of Bangladesh is likely to move toward sustainability-led competitiveness and may turn out to be a global role model for an inclusive, ethical, and ecologically responsible garment manufacturing industry. The study applies global sustainability ideas to a developing economy and supports acceleration in value chain sustainability by policymakers, factory managers, and development partners.