Textile Industry Focuses on Sustainability

Textile Sector Emphasizes Sustainability Among export associations in Turkey, the Aegean Ready-made Garment and Apparel Exporters Association, a pioneer in sustainability, measured the sustainability awareness of 28 companies that realized USD 750 million of their first-half 2021 exports. Aegean Ready-made Garment and Apparel Exporters Association Chairman Burak Sertbaş: "First and foremost, we must ask 'why' at every step we take and seek answers within the framework of 'sustainable responsibility'. It is an indisputable fact that sustainability has now become the new norm of the business world. The EU Green Deal, which is an integral part of the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, shapes the entire supply chain through a series of regulations and policy packages that clarify the global climate regime. Among these are many "circular solutions" such as using sustainable raw materials, energy efficiency, water and waste management, reducing packaging, reuse, certifying fair labor practices in the supply chain, number of female managers, social responsibility projects, in-house training, and relations with civil society." Companies' Sustainability Report Cards Demonstrate Innovation and Innovative Development Reminding that EHKİB has been implementing sustainability-based projects and initiatives for three years, Sertbaş said the following on the subject: "Just as every step is noteworthy, measurement and transparency certainly increase competition in finding sustainable solutions across the sector. The number of companies preparing corporate social responsibility reports in the world is increasing. We can view our Sustainability Awareness Survey study as a foundation and an important reference point for studies to be conducted on the sector's development. Our survey was answered by companies that realized 51 percent of our first half-year exports in 2021. 67 percent of our companies, that is, two out of every three companies, have a sustainability department within their organization. Our companies' sustainability report cards demonstrate that innovation and innovative development, which we need for the development of our sector, are taking place." In the first section of the survey, Sertbaş explained that the companies' main product groups, top three export destinations, number of employees, sustainability department, and whether sustainability consulting services were obtained were examined. He continued his remarks as follows in the second section: "Questions were directed to determine the level of awareness regarding environmental, economic and social dimensions. In the third section, the documents held by the companies were examined. In the fourth section, membership in voluntary sustainability initiatives, projects carried out within the company and sustainable materials and production methods used were used as the basis for reaching a conclusion. Our companies hold many international documents and certifications from the world's most important sustainability standards such as GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), OCS (Organic Content Standard), RCS (Recycled Claim Standard). At the same time, they are all members of many international sustainability initiatives such as Sustainable Apparel Coalition and Global Compact." he said.