Price drop pulls back sustainability: BGMEA to buyers

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan raised the price drop issue of Bangladeshi products to the Western buyers.

In a virtual discussion organised by the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) Thursday, he said dipping rates for apparel exports do not go with the measures they have taken to make the country's apparel sector sustainable. 

This is the first time the AAFA invited the BGMEA to such a meeting. Faruque Hassan also talked about responsible supply chain, ethical sourcing, purchasing practice and sustainability issues.

The BGMEA president emphasised the importance of a unified code of conduct for social audit, saying the unified system would benefit the buyers, manufacturers and workers too.

The programme titled "The Impact of Covid on Supply Chains – The Supplier Perspective" was addressed by Thea Lee, deputy undersecretary of the International Labor Affairs, US Department of Labor; Scott Busby, acting principal deputy assistant secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor, US Department of State; and Charita Castro, director for Labor Affairs, Office of the US Trade Representative.

Nate Herman, senior vice president (Policy) of the AAFA hosted the meeting.