International accord offers services to Pakistan textile industry – Business

LAHORE (Dunya News) – International Accord on Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry Executive Director Joris Oldenziel offered services to the textile industry of Pakistan on Tuesday without charging the local textile manufacturers.

There is no fee for participation in the Accord programme by the local suppliers. The Accord charges fee from the international brands and buyers, he added.

He was heading a delegation to the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA), including Ms. Veronique Cremer, Head of Policy and Advocacy, and Zulfiqar Shah, consultant of International Accord.

Oldenziel said the Accord was created to ensure that workers operate in a safe working environment without fearing building safety accidents and other workplace safety issues.

He said the programme was started in Bangladesh in 2013. It was followed by the establishment of International Accord programmes in other countries based on key principals of accountability, transparency, independence, workers participation and inclusive governance. He said more than 180 international brands are signatory to the Accord at present.

Association s Chairman (Northern Zone) Hamid Zaman said that APTMA member mills were 100 per cent compliant corporate entities and the performance of industries was strictly monitored by international and national agencies. He said the textile industry in Pakistan was fully compliant to the international and local sustainability standards like SA 8000, Oeko Tex made for green, Step etc.

Also, he added, the textile mills were contributing to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals besides ensuring compliance with 27 conventions of GSP plus status relating to social, gender, environment, and other aspects.

He said the industry was working out on an action plan to invest in pollution-control technologies and moving away from fossil fuels, amid the ongoing global energy crisis.

Senior Vice Chairman Kamran Arshad said the textile industry was an equal opportunity employer with no gender discrimination. He said the competitive salary packages with housing and transport facilities were ensured for the labour besides providing them training facilities.

According to him, appropriate shift hours and daycare centers for female workers were maintained in the industry and there was no child labour in APTMA member mills.

He said that each mill had enrollment for government social security system for free medical, maternity, disability and wage retirement benefits other than medical insurance and accidental coverage.

While extending a vote of thanks to the visiting delegation, Vice Chairman Asad Shafi said the textile industry had plans to set up 1000 garment plants to increase textile and clothing exports to US$50billion. The total investment would be US$7 billion over the next four years, generating incremental exports of $20 billion annually while providing employment to well over 1.5 million workers.