STAR Network

🎉 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗮𝗸𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻! 🇵🇰 The modern state of Pakistan was established on 14 August 1947, and its independence is celebrated on this day each year. Today, it is the 5th largest country by population (235.8 million) and one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. 📈 Three of the nine STAR Members are based in Pakistan, each contributing substantially to the nation’s economic development: • The PTEA (Pakistan Textile Exporters Association) (PTEA) • The Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA) • The Pakistan Towel Manufacturers Association (TMA) 📚 Learn more about Pakistan, its history, and its garment sector in the STAR Network "Introduction to Pakistan Guide" (produced with the support of the STAR Associations) on the Asia Garment Hub: https://lnkd.in/gNNZEnHp #Pakistan #independence #TextileIndustry #GarmentSector #EconomicGrowth #Sustainability #STARNetwork #Textiles #PakistanEconomy

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 🌍 On July 9th, 2024, the STAR Network was invited to present our Audit Fatigue Paper at the 4th Meeting of the UNECE Team of Specialists on ESG Traceability for Sustainable Value Chains. New HREDD legislation, means the streamlining of data requirements is increasingly necessary. ➡ The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) ESG Working Group works towards enhancing sustainable consumption through ESG traceability and data exchange systems. https://lnkd.in/gfxnBgZR 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬: 𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑖𝑛 𝑇𝑒𝑥𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑠: There is increasing need for standardized data formats and interoperability for enhanced due diligence to be implemented. 𝐸𝑆𝐺 𝐷𝑎𝑡𝑎 𝐺𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒: Highlighted the importance of multi-stakeholder frameworks and trust-building - accountability for how data is used by buyers in their relations with suppliers is integral. 𝐷𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 𝑃𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑠 (𝐷𝑃𝑃𝑠): Were discussed as vital for ensuring verified and transparent product claims, guided by UNECE Recommendation No. 49 and the UN Transparency Protocol. ✅ The event marked a successful moment of stakeholders coming together to start to address this issue. While our Position Paper does not have all the answers yet, we were pleased to raise the supplier voice once more. Many thanks to Christian Hudson and the UNECE for inviting us to attend. Christian Hudson Olivia Chassot Eric Pol European Commission Miran Ali Azizullah Goheer Karim Shafei Ken Loo Clinton LIU 劉長亮 Lisa Ramershoven Thomas Hesketh Fazlee Shamim EHSAN Asia Garment Hub #Sustainability #ESG #Transparency #SupplyChain #STARNetwork #UNECE #AuditFatigue

[NEW STAR NETWORK COUNTRY INTRODUCTION GUIDES] We are pleased to present the latest STAR Network publications: Introduction Guides to Cambodia, Pakistan and Vietnam; Focusing on the Garment Sectors of each of these countries. Download here: https://lnkd.in/gujYQpDz The guides puts the data you struggle to find into one place. 📈 GDP, FDI, World Bank Doing Business Scores, Inflation, Energy Mix, Infrastructure Plans, FTAs, Imports & Exports, Export Destinations, Sustainability Case Studies, Interesting Facts, and even some useful local phrases. 👉 They are general guides but they highlight key garment-sector statistics. If you have a business connection visiting your country for the first time, or a buyer looking to source from any of these countries, they may be useful! 🙏 Thanks to the organisations, ministries and companies that made their data public, and to the STAR Members (PTEA, TAFTAC, PHMA, TMA and VITAS) for collaborating to make these publications happen. The first, 2023-24 editions will be updated regularly and we want them to be a useful tool! Send an email to thomas.hesketh@cimonline.de, or a personal message if you have any feedback. We will soon be publishing guides for Bangladesh, Myanmar and China! #Pakistan #Vietnam #Cambodia #Data #Transparency #Sustainability #Garments #Textiles #publication

🌟 Five Key Takeaways from the First Joint STAR Network and AFTEX (ASEAN Federation of Textile Industries) Trade & Sustainability Summit at the Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort Bangkok: 1️⃣ Supplier Voices are Stronger Together: the STAR Network is set to formalize and establish new partnerships. The joint event with AFTEX, featuring insights from the Fashion Producer Collective (FPC), marked an excellent beginning. 2️⃣ Audit Fatigue is a Pressing Issue: Member associations welcome new legislation but stress the need for it to streamline, not complicate, audit requirements. Costs should not disproportionately burden suppliers further. Read the STAR position paper here: https://lnkd.in/gqgQ8Z5c 3️⃣ All Actors Want a Greener Industry: Aligned with the preferences of buyers, consumers, and indeed supplier countries, all member associations support improved regulations and initiatives for decarbonization and renewable energy. The next STAR Position Paper will tackle these issues, building on the FPCs paper: https://lnkd.in/gqEsYAKy 4️⃣  Suppliers are Cautiously Preparing for New Legislation on Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence: Archana Kotecha provided an overview of upcoming HREDD laws, tracing developments from the UN Guiding Principles through to the German Supply Chain Act, the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and soon, upcoming EU Forced Labor Regulation. 5️⃣ State of the Industry in 2024: Suppliers face challenges with inflation, skilled labor shortages, and global geopolitics, along with (for several countries) preparing for LDC Graduation (presented by Paul Baker). Yet, there are opportunities in market diversification, new regional and bilateral FTAs and higher value products, with exports generally recovering to pre-Covid levels. 🙏 We extend our heartfelt gratitude to AFTEX, and our hosts at the Thailand Textile Institute, and the National Federation of Thai Textile Industries for making this event a success, and we look forward to future collaboration. 🌐 Find us on the Asia Garment Hub: https://lnkd.in/gt3VGYbd ➡ Press release: https://lnkd.in/gZyTxE3F #garments #STAR #AFTEX #ASEAN #HREDD #Sustainability #Collaboration #trade

🌟 News from the STAR Network! 🌟 We've launched our new Position Paper: ➡ Audit Fatigue, Facts, Challenges, and a Call for Action. Download from the Asia Garment Hub: https://lnkd.in/gqgQ8Z5c 5 Key Messages: 1️⃣ Audit Fatigue: Leads to repeated & redundant efforts and costs. 2️⃣ Stakeholders should increasingly recognize audits performed by others. 3️⃣ Standard Fatigue: Standards are almost always similar but not identical. 4️⃣ There's a critical need for more unified global standards. 5️⃣ Buying practices are crucial for sustainable social impact. "This paper is a call to action. We urge all stakeholders—manufacturers, buyers, certifying bodies, and governments—to adopt a more unified approach to social and environmental compliance. By embracing shared audit frameworks and recognizing each other‘s certifications, we can eliminate redundancies and focus our efforts on true improvements to the lives of workers." Miran Ali (米然·阿里） We hope more suppliers will join the STAR Network raising their voice on this important topic. Ken Loo (TAFTAC) Fazlee Shamim EHSAN, M Muzzammil Husain (TMA), Junaid Makda (PHMA), Azizullah Goheer (PTEA), Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai (VITAS), Khine Khine Nwe (MGMA), Ahmad Bari, Madhubanti Anashua, Lisa Ramershoven, Constantia Chirnside, Jessie Li, Hani Can, Karim Shafei, Monileak Ean

🌟 Join Our Upcoming Webinar on Audit Fatigue in the Fashion Industry! 📕 This Webinar marks the official launch of the STAR Position Paper: Audit Fatigue, Facts, Challenges, and a Call for Action. As the fashion industry grapples with increasingly stringent due diligence legislation, the burden of fragmented and redundant audits has never been more pressing. In this webinar, the STAR Network raises the supplier voice on this topic. 📅 Date: Today! (29th May) 🕓 Time: 3 PM ICT 🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/gjchGByb Featured Panelists: Karim Shafei: International Partner at Gherzi, Paper Researcher Miran Ali:, Managing Director of Bitopi Group and Vice President of BGMEA Dr. Xiaohui Liang: Chief Researcher at CNTAC and an expert in CSR. Moderator: Jessie Li, Co-Founder of Manufactured podcast. Backstopping: Thomas Hesketh, Head of Secretariat, STAR Network This seminar will explore potential solutions & encourage the adoption of practices that promote mutual recognition of audits. This is a nuanced subject not easily solved, we invite you to please join us as we dive into the topic with our panelists. This event is part of the Asian Dialogues series initiated by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH FABRIC. Ken Loo (TAFTAC) Lisa Ramershoven, Fazlee Shamim EHSAN, Constantia Chirnside, M Muzzammil Husain (TMA), Junaid Makda (PHMA), Azizullah Goheer (PTEA), Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai (VITAS), Khine Khine Nwe (MGMA), Marc Beckmann, Ahmad Bari, Madhubanti Anashua #AuditFatigue #FashionIndustry #Sustainability #TextileIndustry #Webinar #SocialCompliance

Have you registered for "From Catwalk to Carbon Neutral: Mobilising Funding for a Net Zero Fashion Industry" ? It features a new report endorsed by the 9 association members of the STAR Network. Decarbonization is challenging, and needs all stakeholders (brands, consumers, suppliers, multilaterals) contributing to make a reality. Join the discussion on financing decarbonization to explore innovative financial strategies for sustainable transformation in fashion supply chains. 📅 Date: March 19th ⏰ Times: 10am & 4pm CET 🌐 Location: Zoom 📌 APAC [10am CET] registration: https://lnkd.in/eSHy87pN  📌 NA/EU [4pm CET] registration: https://lnkd.in/eK8NUeak Check out the report ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gqEsYAKy Asia Garment Hub GIZ Cambodia Transformers Foundation #sustainabledevelopment #sustainableenergy #decarbonization #sharedresponsibility #garmentmanufacturing #fashion

🌟 The STAR Network is transforming for 2024! 🌟 Introducing the New Year, with a New Brand! 🎨 Our New Logo: We've selected a logo that emphasizes our network's essence, uniting diverse associations across 6 countries. The color palette blends blue and various shades of green to reflect our sustainability commitment. Instead of nature-inspired elements, we've maintained a textile and garment focus. The logo's subtle lines symbolize connections between stakeholders, like interwoven threads. Its circular shape represents the globe, highlighting STAR's international reach. The logo follows the last all-STAR member meeting in November 2023, held in Dongguan, China. 🌐 About the STAR Network: STAR brings together 9 textile associations for collaborative initiatives, emphasizing sustainability and responsible practices in the industry. Q1 2024 will see us finalizing our position on the topic of Audit Fatigue in the sector. We're excited about a fresh look on the topic, and the possibilities it brings! 🤩 What do you think of the rebrand? Share your thoughts below! Miran Ali (米然·阿里）(BGMEA), Fazlee Shamim EHSAN (BKMEA), M Muzzammil Husain (TMA), Junaid Makda (PHMA), Dr. Liang (CNTAC), Azizullah Goheer (PTEA), Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai (VITAS), Ken Loo (TAFTAC), Khine Khine Nwe (MGMA), Lisa Ramershoven, Thomas Hesketh, Marc Beckmann, Ahmad Bari, Madhubanti Anashua #STARNetwork #Rebranding #Sustainability #TextileIndustry

🌟 Exciting News from the STAR Network! 🌟 We're pleased to announce our new online presence on the Asia Garment Hub. As STAR continues to grow and evolve, this platform (and the STAR profile) will be the go-to place for all our industry updates and STAR Network activities. Here's what you can look forward to: ✅ Comprehensive buyers guides for every STAR country. ✅ The STAR Position Paper addressing Audit Fatigue. ✅ A fresh and modern re-branding in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more updates! #STARNetwork #AsiaGarmentHub #IndustryUpdates #Sustainability #TextileIndustry