The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) will honour 12 apparel-sector initiatives for excellence in sustainability, worker welfare and innovation at BATEXPO 2026 in November.
The Sustainability Leadership (TSL) Awards will be presented on November 18 and 19 at the Bangladesh International Conference Centre in Dhaka during the 25th-anniversary edition of the apparel trade exhibition, the trade body said in a statement on Monday.
The awards will recognise initiatives in four categories: People First, Planet Positive, Next Frontier and Rising Strength, with winners receiving Platinum, Gold or Silver honours.
People First will cover worker welfare, women’s leadership and community engagement, while Planet Positive will recognise environmental protection, water conservation and circular textile practices.
Next Frontier will focus on business and worker-centred innovation, while Rising Strength will reward smaller factories for efficient resource use and responsible growth.
The awards are being organised by the BGMEA in partnership with the German development agency GIZ’s STILE II project, Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and Bangladesh’s Ministry of Commerce. PDS Ltd is the title sponsor of BATEXPO 2026.
BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan said local garment factories were making significant progress in green manufacturing and innovation to meet changing global industry requirements.
The awards would showcase leading factories and entrepreneurs internationally and help strengthen the competitiveness of Bangladesh’s apparel sector, he said.
Michael Kloode, project manager of GIZ Bangladesh’s Sustainability in the Textile and Leather Industries project, said the initiative builds on previous collaborations, including the Social and Environmental Excellence Awards in 2012 and 2014 and the TSL Awards in 2022.
He said the awards would recognise factories demonstrating leadership in environmental sustainability, social responsibility and environmental, social and governance practices.
Shariful Islam, founder and managing director of Bangladesh Brand Forum, said sustainability was essential to the industry’s long-term survival, not merely a passing trend.
Recognising responsible manufacturers could help establish “Made in Bangladesh” as a mark of environmentally and socially responsible production, he added.