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Sustainability

STTI Gains Two New Members – 11 Countries on Board
By Yvonne Heinen-Foudeh, Senior International Correspondent
Achieving agreements on practical steps to improve purchasing practices between globally acting operating organizations and their members is STTI’s declared goal. After its very first bi-annual in-person meeting held in March in Istanbul, the Sustainable Terms of Trade Initiative (STTI) in the interim started talks with three major organizations representing brands and retailers that have commercial compliance high on their agendas. These are the SAC, ACT, and the Common Framework for Responsible Purchasing Practices (CFfRPP). The initiative's global working group already presented its first results in September 2021. The white paper that is available for download unites the common goal to improve commercial compliance. The Sustainable Terms of Trade Initiative is led by the STAR Network, the International Apparel Federation (IAF), and the Better Buying Institute and is supported by GIZ FABRIC. Including recently gained two new members, the initiative now consists of 15 industry associations from 11 countries that are facing similar challenges regarding purchasing practices in the textile and garment industry. These are API (Indonesia), VITAS (Vietnam), CNTAC (China), GMAC (Cambodia), MGMA (Myanmar), BGMEA and BKMEA (Bangladesh) AEPC (India), PHMA, PTEA, TMA (Pakistan), IHKIB and TCMA (Turkey) ECAHT (Egypt), and AMITH (Morocco). “The coming year will see intensive work on impactful actions to improve purchasing practices,” says the STTI in a current statement. “Our growth, our work with brands and retailers and the organizations that represent them and their prominent roles in the OECD's Annual Forum (on due diligence in the garment and footwear sector) reflects the initiative’s optimism that it is on the right track.”
STTI spokespersons:• Miran Ali, Vice President at BGMEA (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association)• Fatima-Zohra Alaoui, Director General at AMITH (Moroccan Apparel and Textiles Association) has now joined as STTI’s deputy spokesperson. Contact details:• Miran Ali | STTI Spokesperson | miran@bitopibd.com• Fatima-Zohra Alaoui | STTI Deputy Spokesperson | f.alaoui@amith.org.ma• Matthijs Crietee | STTI Project Lead at IAF | crietee@iafnet.com
Photo: Visual Hunt