STTI welcomes two new members and now covers 11 manufacturing countries. Furthermore, the Initiative kicks-off their negotiations with talks with organisations representing brands and retailers.
The governing body of
the STTI held its fifth global working group meeting held on Thursday January
27th, welcoming two new participants. From India, the Apparel Export Promotion
Council (AEPC) joined and was represented by its chairman, Mr. Naren Goenka.
From Egypt, new participant ECAHT was represented by its executive director Mr.
Hany Kadah. As a result, now STTI brings together apparel industry associations
from 11 countries which now include Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Cambodia,
Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Morocco.
Uniting behind the
common goal of improving commercial compliance the initiative has published
their white paper in September 2021. Now, driven by the push for
application in the industry the global working group formally started talks
with three major, globally operating organisations representing brands and
retailers and that have the improvement of purchasing practices high on their
agendas. These are the SAC, ACT and the Common Framework for Responsible
Purchasing Practices (CFfRPP). It is STTI’s goal to make plans of action with these organizations on
commercial compliance, or in other words, agree on practical steps to improve
purchasing practices between the members of the organization and the members of
STTI. The necessity for this remains without question. Participants questioned “how
we would contribute to the fairness of the industry if we don’t have fair
purchasing practices to begin with.”
Out of this need it
became clear that these groups aim at tangible improvements and prioritise the
topic already. The STTI is ensuring that
manufacturers globally are participating on an equal level and that their voice
is an integral part of this work. Additionally, this reduces the ever-present
danger of a fragmented and uncoordinated approach in the apparel and textile
industry.
The coming year will
see intensive work on impactful actions to improve purchasing practices. STTI’s
growth, its work with brands and retailers and the organisations that represent
them and its prominent role in the OECD's Annual Forum (on due diligence in the garment and footwear
sector) reflects the initiative’s optimism that we are on the right track.
For further questions
please contact:
Miran Ali | STTI
Spokesperson | miran@bitopibd.com | Mobile +880 171 1565070
Matthijs Crietee |
STTI Project Lead at IAF | crietee@iafnet.com |
Mobile +31 653 93 06 74
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The Sustainable Terms of Trade initiative, led by the STAR Network, the
International Apparel Federation (IAF) and the Better Buying Institute and
supported by GIZ FABRIC consists of 15 industry associations from 11 countries
facing similar challenges regarding purchasing practices in the textile and
garment industry. These are: API, Indonesia; VITAS, Vietnam; CNTAC, China;
GMAC, Cambodia; MGMA, Myanmar; BGMEA and BKMEA, Bangladesh; AEPC, India; PHMA,
PTEA, TMA, Pakistan; IHKIB and TCMA, Turkey; ECAHT, Egypt and AMITH, Morocco
