An increasing number of RMG manufacturers are investing in more environmentally friendly factories.
Benefits have included reduced long term costs via better energy efficiency, recycling, and waste management systems. They have also been helpful in immediately lowering emissions and pollution, renewably generating electricity and in improving attractiveness to buyers.
The branding benefits of greener factories offers lessons for all types of manufacturer.
Some RMG manufacturers, such as ABA Group, Viyellatex and Envoy Textile, report that initiatives to build green factories have been proving attractive to international buyers and consumers. While such moves have typically involved higher upfront costs, the investment in purpose built green factories has been justified by incorporating better working conditions and reducing long term maintenance costs.
As consumers all around the world and leading brands are placing ever more importance on good factory environments and environmental sustainability, more such initiatives will help enhance the competitiveness of Bangladeshi products in the global marketplace.
The government should do more to promote the building of factories which meet internationally certified standards on environmental sustainability.
Given the higher costs required by such factories, it should consider new tax incentives to reward those private sector companies that have invested to achieve best practice environmental standards.
It should also allow more duty-free import of equipment required to establish eco-friendly factories, for all types of export orientated manufacturer. That way, more companies and investors will be encouraged to invest and create jobs by building environmentally friendly factories.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
