Apparel Online Bangladesh Magazine May Issue 2019 | Page 35

RESOURCE CENTRE
The STeP® certification is
possible for production facilities
of all processing stages from fibre
production, spinning mills, weaving
mills, knitting mills to finishing
facilities and manufacturers of
readymade textile items. The
methodology is very clearly defined,
wherein through modular analysis
of all relevant company areas
such as management of chemicals,
environmental performance,
environmental management,
occupational health and safety,
social responsibility and quality
management, the STeP® certification
allows a comprehensive and reliable
analysis of the extent of sustainable
management provided by a
production facility.
Working in partnership with the
companies, Hohenstein with its
STeP® modules, can support change
in factories and workplaces by
saving resources, reducing cost,
increasing efficiencies and helping
companies achieve sustainable goals
in line with global demands. Giving
a comprehensive understanding of
the STeP® certification, Dr. Kamrul
shared that the unique process
encompasses three different levels
describing the extent to which the
company has achieved sustainable
production and working conditions:
Level 1 – Entry level; Level 2 –
Good implementation with further
optimisation potential; and Level
3 – Exemplary implementation in the
sense of a best practice example.
The growing popularity of STeP®
certification is obvious from the fact
that the country already has over 25
such certifications and many more
are under process.
“The apparel business in Bangladesh
is not only growing, but growing
sustainably and we at Hohenstein
are ready with all the tools to support
this growth and achieve targets
that will keep this country as the
preferred manufacturing destination
of global brands and retailers
for many more years,” signs off
Dr. Kamrul with confidence.
“Taking the leadership
role in the TIC industry
seriously, we have to
lead the way”
– Abdur Rashid, Country Manager, SGS Bangladesh
About five months ago, SGS Bangladesh Limited announced, for the first time in
its long history of presence in the country, a local talent as the Head of Operations
– Abdur Rashid officially taking over as the Country Manager, having serviced
in SGS for last 10 years, and earlier being responsible for the consumer and
retail segment of the company. Controlled by expats till now, it is a big privilege
and challenge for Rashid to not only take on a leadership role, but also add new
dimensions to the operations in Bangladesh with his understanding of local issues
and concerns. In a candid interview, he talks about his new role, the challenges
and the opportunities ahead.
AO: As a local boy, what are the
advantages as also the major
challenges that you see?
Rashid: Our country’s major revenue
comes from the apparel industry
and so all of us have friends in
the industry from whom we have
understanding of ground realities,
which expat leadership do not have.
To be honest, being a local, I know
the industry, the manufacturing
community and all the positives
and negatives. Also, I am easily
accessible to the industry and to
my staff, so they can express their
expectations, difficulties or desires
whenever they want. This is a
good starting point, but then the
expectations are high.
Since expats were not much
accessible, they had not faced
the challenges that I do. Earlier
if there were any mistakes, then
headquarters used to think that it
was due to market dynamics, but if we
will fail now, then there is a chance
Abdur Rashid, Country Manager, SGS Bangladesh
www.apparelresources.com | MAY 2019 | Apparel Online Bangladesh
35