Over 450 textiles and readymade garment factories in Bangladesh under IFC-led programme ‘Partnership for Cleaner Textile’ have reduced freshwater consumption by 35 bn litres and cut wastewater discharge by 29 bn litres annually. On the occasion of the 10-year anniversary of the PaCT programme, International Finance Corporation stated that freshwater saved through the reduced consumption under the initiative could meet the annual water need of over 1.9 mn people.
Now, these factories save 3.8 mn megawatt hours in energy per year and have reduced carbon emissions by 7,23,617 tonnes annually – equivalent to removing nearly 1,60,000 cars from the road each year. To bring systemic and positive change to the textile value chain in Bangladesh, IFC’s partnership for PaCT programme has catalysed transformative change over the last 10 years, contributing to the sector’s competitiveness and environmental sustainability, the statement said.
The advisory programme PaCT — supported by Denmark and the Netherlands —is spearheaded by IFC and implemented in collaboration with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association. Over the years, PaCT has also been working with leading partners, including VF Corp, PUMA, Levi Strauss & Co and TESCO.
‘Let me stress how pleased we are to see that PaCT has become a market leader in both its scale and comprehensiveness of its activities, especially on advisory support for energy efficiency and renewable energy,’ said Denmark Ambassador to Bangladesh Christian Brix Moller. According to IFC, the PaCT programme was launched to support the entire textile value chain — spinning, weaving, wet processing and garment factories — in adopting cleaner production practices.
The programme engaged with brands, technology suppliers, industrial associations, financial institutions and the government to bring about systemic and positive environmental changes in Bangladesh’s textile sector, contributing to its long-term competitiveness and environmental sustainability.
‘We appreciate the contribution of the PaCT programme by IFC over the past decade. We hope that its impact will continue in the coming decades and our industry will grow at a rapid rate while remaining sustainable and safe,’ said BGMEA Vice-President Miran Ali.
The PaCT programme has driven a positive mind-set shift in Bangladesh’s textile industry, notably through the launch of Textile Technology Business Centre, poised to become the sector’s leading knowledge hub. The next phase of the PaCT programme would pivot towards advancing circular practices and decarbonisation initiatives to address the industry’s carbon footprint, the IFC statement said.
IFC Country Manager for Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan Martin Holtmann said that IFC was committed to fostering sustainable growth within Bangladesh’s textile industry. He said that IFC would continue to help the country’s ready-made garment sector ascend the global supply chain and meet the demand of a more modern and greener market. ‘The sector’s resilience is key to increasing exports and supporting market diversification in Bangladesh,’ Martin said.
