The third edition of the Sustainable Apparel Forum (SAF) organized by Bangladesh Apparel Exchange will be held on May 10, 2022 at the International Convention City in Bashundhara, Dhaka. Participants and exhibitors from more than 20 countries are expected.
This year’s event aims to establish Bangladesh as the world’s most responsible apparel sourcing destination. Ministers and advisers from the government, the European Union, UN agencies, global fashion activists, brands, manufacturers and industry leaders will come together to discuss the needs of the sector and how sustainability can impact Bangladesh’s garment industry can be promoted.
“With SAF 2022, we wanted to create an event where key global industry stakeholders can come together and act as catalysts for real industry change. It is a high-level networking with a specific goal in mind: How can we turn the needle so that the ambitious sustainability goals that our industry talks about so often are translated into meaningful, practical measures?” comments SAF founder Mostafiz Uddin in a press release.
Leading representatives from 20 world-renowned recycling and renewable energy companies will showcase their sustainable and green technologies, products and solutions, while SAF will also showcase opportunities for much-needed green finance. The topics that will be in focus are climate protection, environment, social and governance (ESG) as well as green finance, procurement practices, circular economy and regulatory reforms.
Among the more than 50 speakers are Inditex’ Javier Santonja Olcina, Regional Manager for Bangladesh and Pakistan; H&M’s Gagan Bansal, manager of global material innovation and strategy; Mark Anner, founding director of the Center for Global Workers’ Rights; Anna Athanasopoulou, Head of the European Commission’s Social Economy and Creative Industries Unit; ILO Country Chief Bangladesh Tuomo Poutiainen; Faruque Hassan, President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA); the Vice President of Research at Better Buying Najet Draper and Remake Founder and CEO Ayesha Barenblat.
On the Bangladeshi government side, Tawfiq-e-elahi Chowdhury, Advisor to the Prime Minister for Power, Energy and Natural Resources Salman F. Rahman, Advisor to the Prime Minister for Private Sector and Investment, Minister of Commerce Tipu Munshi, Minister of State for Labor and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian , and Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for the Department for Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
“There will also be a full debriefing of the event, where the outcome of the event and possible future actions will be discussed,” adds Uddin.
The event is sponsored by Embassy of the Netherlands in Bangladesh, Pacific Jeans, Cotton USA, KDS, Epic, Laudes Foundation, Higg, H&M and Better Work Bangladesh.