Creating a benchmark for corporate sustainability in Bangladesh, Fakir Apparels Limited (FAL) has embarked on a journey targeting UN Sustainable Development Goals, aiming to reach several milestones by 2024
The readymade garments (RMG) sector is currently the heart of Bangladesh’s growth and development. Over the decades, Bangladesh has established itself as one of the largest readymade garments producers in the world. Currently, the sector accounts for more than 84% of our export earnings and employs more than four million people across the country – a large proportion of which are women. Our journey thus far would not have been possible without the visionaries who built this sector up from obscurity into a thriving, multi-billion dollar industry.
Unfortunately, the development of advanced production technologies and the need to meet ever growing consumer demands has brought about various environmental problems such as the discharge of high amounts of chemical loads into the receiving environment, and other negative impacts associated with high chemical and water use, energy consumption, air pollution, solid waste and odor formation.
As a result, due to rising environmental concerns and consumer awareness the industry is now at a crossroads. Sustainability is gradually taking precedence, and the sector’s prospects over the next decade largely depend on it.
Fakir Apparels Limited (FAL), one of the biggest names in Bangladesh’s RMG sector, has been exemplary in implementing sustainable practices in its operations and is set to reach milestones for the sector by 2024.
Led by Munzarin Zaman, the Corporate Sustainability team strategized FAL’s sustainability goals after assessing its stakeholders’ impacts, including workers and staff, which aligns with five of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relevant to FAL’s operations, including not only on environmental sustainability but also important issues such as education and gender equality.
Sustainable Consumption and Production
In line with Sustainable Development Goal 12, FAL is dedicated to decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation, increasing resource efficiency and promoting sustainable practices. It currently produces 2.51 KW of greenhouse gases per kilo of products, which FAL intends to reduce by 20% by 2024.
Chemicals discharged in wastewater can have a detrimental impact on the surrounding surface and groundwater systems. Over the decades, this has been a big cause of concern for Bangladesh, as it is a global hub for garments manufacturers. FAL uses 100% ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) parameters to achieve zero discharge of hazardous chemicals into the ecosystem. Concurrently, it also aims to reduce its plastic use by 20% and plans to process 50% of food wastage from its canteens as compost by the stipulated period.
Affordable and Clean Energy
Ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services is mandated by Sustainable Development Goal 7. In its pursuit to provide cleaner, more efficient power to its manufacturing processes, FAL currently uses a 5KW solar plant.
Also, a deal is being finalised to increase the capacity of the solar plant to 2.13 MW by 2024. FAL is also procuring machines to increase the usage of exhaust gas from 72 tonnes to 144 tonnes. The factory premises is illuminated by 46 skylights and that will be increased to sixty by 2024. The efficiency is further enhanced by the use of LED lights throughout the factory. It uses at least 75% less energy and lasts 25 times longer than incandescent lighting. FAL is dedicated to maintaining 100% usage of LED light in the coming years.
Clean Water and Sanitation
Sustainable Development Goal 6 aims to address water scarcity, poor water quality and inadequate sanitation. Over the years, FAL has invested significant resources in ensuring that its workers and community have access to clean water. FAL has already installed twelve pure drinking water taps outside the factory for the local community. It has plans to add thirty more identical taps for the community by 2024.
The program also includes setting up 40 toilets across the community during the same period. FAL’s water management is made more sustainable by incorporating rainwater harvesting, which can provide 350m3 of water at present and will be upgraded to 1000m3 soon. By operating an E.T.P. (Effluent Treatment Plant), FAL can also purify a portion of industrial wastewater for its reuse. FAL is currently reusing 10% of its wastewater and it aims to increase that usage to 60% by 2024.
Quality Education
Quality EducationSustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education, and promotes lifelong learning opportunities for all. Fakir Apparels Ltd. has strategised to facilitate quality education for the children of its employees and also for the community. FAL operates a daycare centre for the children of its employees within the factory premises, which facilitates overall developmental assistance, including academic, physical and cognitive training. It is essentially a pre-school with all types of early development support.
Being located in a rural area where parents do not encourage their children to aspire beyond primary education, FAL aims that at least 50% of workers will send their children to finish secondary school by 2024. The drive to ensure quality education to these children will include providing free training to school teachers across Narayanganj. FAL will also provide 3,000 books to poorly financed schools in the area in its efforts to support their education.
Gender Equality
Sustainable Development Goal 5 strives to achieve equal rights and opportunities for all genders.
In that regard, FAL aims to increase the number of women working for the company from 46% to 70% by 2024. It also seeks to raise the satisfaction rate of female employees to 100% from 85% during the stipulated period. Currently, 25% of women workers in FAL have IT education. By 2024, it aims to bring it up to 40% through a program in collaboration with H&M, where they can be promoted from workers to supervisors through computer training.
FAL has also designed an MTO (Management Trainee Officer) programme to develop a locally skilled workforce. As factories mostly recruit employees from Dhaka, the local population are often denied the exposure and opportunities to develop their skills. Through the programme, FAL aims to create more opportunities for them by providing quality training with proper certification. Upon successful completion of the programme, candidates are expected to ensure employment in the industry or pursue entrepreneurship.
As such, at the beginning of this decade Fakir Apparels Limited (FAL), has embarked on a journey that will pave the way in adopting environmentally sustainable practices within the textile manufacturing industry.