As owners of the manufacturing process, it is important for us to hold ourselves to international sustainability standards in order to fulfill our commitment towards reducing our negative environmental impact and to have a positive social impact. The following international sustainability certifications serve as a benchmark for us to reach and surpass while also giving our customers and partners reassurance of our commitment towards sustainability.
Check out what our various certifications mean.
LEED - Gold and Platinum Ranking
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Available for virtually all building types, LEED provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings. LEED certification is a globally recognised symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership.
The main factors that are considered are location and transportation, sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, material and resources, indoor environmental quality and regional priority. Each building is given a certain number of points according to these factors, and the sum of those points will determine the rating the building receives.
Our factories have received Gold and Platinum ratings, which are 60-79 points and 80+ points respectively.
MRSL Compliance
MRSL stands for Manufacturing Restricted Substance List and provides brands, retailers, suppliers and manufacturers with acceptable limits of restricted substances in chemical formulations which are used in the raw material and product manufacturing processes.
An MRSL is used as a tool by companies around the world to regulate the safety of chemical formulations used to make the raw materials that go into products and samples. The regulation of chemical formulations upstream, through an MRSL, protects workers, consumers and the environment.
We aim to be 100% compliant by the end of 2021, where we adhere strictly to limits on restricted substances in chemical formulation in our manufacturing processes.
RCS and GRS
The Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and Global Recycled Standard (GRS) are international, voluntary standards that set requirements for third-party certification of recycled input and chain of custody. The shared goal of the standards is to increase the use of recycled materials. The GRS includes additional criteria for social and environmental processing requirements and chemical restrictions.
As recycling is one of our key strategies to reduce our impact on the environment, holding ourselves to these international, voluntary standards help us stay committed to our sustainability goals.
Higg Index
The Higg Index is a suite of tools for the standardised measurement of value chain sustainability, and it is central to the SAC’s mission to transform businesses for exponential impact.
We have been certified under two modules as manufacturers – the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) and the Higg Facility Social & Labour Module (Higg FSLM).
Higg FEM
The Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) informs manufacturers, brands, and retailers about the environmental performance of their individual facilities, empowering them to scale sustainability improvements.
The Higg FEM provides facilities a clear picture of their environmental impacts. It helps them identify and prioritize opportunities for performance improvements. It assesses environmental management systems, energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, water use, wastewater, emissions to air (if applicable), waste management and chemical management.
Higg FSLM
The Higg Facility Social & Labor Module (Higg FSLM) promotes safe and fair social and labour conditions for value chain workers all over the world. Facilities can use the scored assessment to understand hotspots and reduce audit fatigue. Instead of focusing on compliance, they can dedicate time and resources to making lasting systemic changes.
The Higg FSLM assesses recruitment and hiring, working hours, wages and benefits, employee treatment, employee involvement, health and safety, termination, management systems, empowering people and communities.
SA8000 Standard
The SA8000 Standard is the world’s leading social certification program. The SA8000 Standard and Certification System provide a framework for organisations of all types, in any industry, and in any country to conduct business in a way that is fair and decent for work.
We are assessed on the following factors - child labour, forced or compulsory labour, health and safety, freedom of association & right to collective bargaining, discrimination, disciplinary practices, working hours, remuneration and management systems.
We are proud to have two of only five manufacturing facilities that have achieved the SA8000 certification in Bangladesh, as of 2021.
SMETA
Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA), the most widely used social audit in the world, is Sedex’s social auditing methodology, enabling businesses to assess their sites and suppliers to understand working conditions in their supply chain.
This audit enables us to assess our suppliers, monitor health and safety for workers, and signal zero tolerance of human rights abuses such as child and forced labour.
Better Work
Better Work is a partnership between the UN’s International Labour Organization and the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group. It helps to bring diverse groups together – governments, global brands, factory owners, and unions and workers – to improve working conditions in the garment industry and make the sector more competitive.
Our parent company is the first company registered with the Better Work initiative in
Bangladesh and is currently a Cycle 5 participants, which is the highest level in the country.