On Tuesday 6 December, the EU and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) co-hosted a seminar in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, aiming to define practical ways to ensure sustainability in the international garment and footwear supply chains.
During the debates, which were opened by Cambodia's Labour Minister Ith Samheng and the EU ambassador to Cambodia, George Edgar, the representatives of the different stakeholders (industry, trade unions, civil society, international organisations and the main importing countries) discussed how to step up the industry's current sustainability efforts by putting into practice the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector.
This Guidance suggests how companies active in the sector could better identify, prevent and mitigate any potential harmful impacts when it comes to respect for human and labour rights, and protection of the environment.
The European Commission said in a press release that free access to the market offered by the EU to the least developed countries (LDCs) like Cambodia stimulates growth in their export-oriented industries and contributes to the growth of the clothing and footwear industry, generating employment and livelihoods for many Cambodians, especially women.
This initiative for Cambodia comes as part of the new EU strategy for a more responsible trade policy started by European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström. Two similar initiatives are being conducted for sustainability in the textile supply chain in Bangladesh (see EUROPE 11538) and labour rights in Burma/Myanmar (see EUROPE 11637). (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)