On 13 November, the ‘Sustainable Sourcing Seminar’ was held at Modint. During the seminar, various NGOs, trade unions and social initiatives briefly set out their expertise and explained what significance they could have for clothing companies, in the textile-producing countries as well as in the Netherlands. Participants in and supporters of the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile also attended the seminar.
The theme ‘living wage’ is addressed specifically in the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile. The Parties that drew up the Agreement together regard a living wage and social dialogue as essential themes. That is because progress in these two areas can have a positive impact on all the other themes. They are therefore of critical value and occupy a central place in the Agreement. Signatories can help support a living wage by adopting sustainable procurement practices.
How can multi-stakeholder initiatives such as the Dutch IRBC agreements contribute to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals? That was the question addressed during the conference ‘SDGs and Initiatives for Sustainable Global Value Chains’ in Brussels.
The Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile has acquired a new signatory: Fabienne Chapot (Fab B.V.). Fabienne Chapot is a Dutch fashion brand for women and is known for their colourful collection with all over prints.
On November 6 the event ‘AGT’s Next Steps, towards increased impact in supply chains’ took place. The main objective of the day was the exchange of experiences and knowledge. Over a hundred participants to the Agreement for Sustainable Garments and Textile joined the event.
On Friday 2 November 2018 the stakeholder meeting of the Dutch Banking Sector Agreement took place. Stakeholders to the agreement received more information about the progress the agreement has made, and joined the discussion on several dilemmas within the agreement. About 50 stakeholders from CSOs, research institutes and parties to the agreement participated in the event.
Minister Sigrid Kaag of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation visited Zeeman to discuss how they work on the Agreement for Sustainable Garments and Textile and to see how they work towards a more sustainable value chain.