DHAKA – In-depth research of 200 textile mills in Dhaka, Bangladesh, found that most enterprises are embracing green supply chain practices. The study focused on textile mills in the Gazipur District of Dhaka and found that larger organisations are generally more advanced on sustainability issues than their smaller counterparts. The researchers also found a distinct and notable shift towards more sustainable practices in the past three to five years.
Most mills surveyed were found to be implementing measures to tackle environmental challenges, including to reduce carbon footprint, streamline transportation operations, to eliminate, reduce, and alternately repurpose manufacturing waste, and to eliminate or cut use of hazardous or toxic materials.
“Within these 200 factories, most of them are trying to reduce the carbon footprint, while fewer than 50 per cent are not concerned about reducing packaging practices and reducing energy consumption in manufacturing and buildings,” say the authors.
78 per cent of respondents said they had embraced waste reduction methods, 76 per cent had implemented renewable energy measures, and 75 per cent were found to be looking at ways to cut or eliminate the use of hazardous or toxic materials. This final result could arguably be attributed directly to the influence of Greenpeace’s Detox campaign along supply chains and the growing influence of manufacturers’ restricted substance lists (MRSLs).
Asked what was prompting the shift to more sustainable methods of operation, internal “employee values” were found to be the most influential factor. The next biggest driver was the possibility of greater profits, followed by potential competitive advantage. Other influential factors included pressure from wider society and to “gain legitimacy.”
Surprisingly, among the least influential factors on the shift towards sustainability were customer demands and the influence of NGOs.
Full citation: Logistics 2018, 2(4), 21; doi: 10.3390/logistics2040021
