Introducing sustainability to the textile engineering curriculum in Bangladesh
Table of contents
The aim of this research project funded by DAAD, GIZ and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation & Development is to support the transformation process of Bangladesh towards a sustainable economy and responsible textile production in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs: 8, 10, 12, 17, and specifically SDG 4) concerning skills-trainings, by highlighting the importance of integrating sustainability assessment into managerial decision making.
The textile industry in Bangladesh, which comprises the ready-made garment sector (RMG), is embedded in a globalised supply chain and thus international requirements regarding fulfilment of sustainability criteria are becoming increasingly imposed on it by their international supply chain partners and consumers. Due to the significant importance of the textile industry to the economy of Bangladesh, addressing those demands is crucial to retain Bangladesh’s competitiveness in the textile market and sustainable economic development. Consequently, the Bangladesh Government seeks to address this challenge by enhancing the capacities of mid-level managers.
This project seeks to develop a curriculum to educate future mid-level managers with regards to social, environmental and economic sustainability in the textile sector of Bangladesh, so these managers can gain knowledge to integrate sustainability considerations in their decision making.
A further research component of the project is to investigate sustainability in the textile industry from a range of different angles, adopting a value chain approach. Data collection will be carried out at the worker, producer, buyer and consumer levels, and the findings will be synthesised to provide an international, value chain perspective on sustainability in the textile sector. The four analyses will be compiled and an exemplary management control system will be deduced from the findings.
Leadership
- Prof. Dr. Edeltraud Günther
Researcher
- Dr. Lisa Koep
-
Dr. Jonathan Morris
Term
- 01/2018 to 07/2020
Financing
- DAAD, GIZ and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
Cooperation
- Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST), Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Notre Dame University Bangladesh (NDUB), Dhaka, Bangladesh
Presentations
- Koep, L.; Morris, J; Guenther, E. 2018. Transforming the Textile Industry in Bangladesh: Adopting a Value Chain Approach to Tackle Sustainability Tensions. Presentation at the Business and Society Seminar: The Transformation towards Sustainable Business: Empowering Stakeholders for Sustainable Innovation, Production, and Consumption, 20-22nd June 2018, Mannheim (Germany).
Final Report
You can read the final report of this project as PDF-download