At the MFA Forum/UNDP Conference in Dhaka in June, the Bangladesh ready-made garment indsutry stakeholders called for greater clarity and consistency around the standard of compliance required by buyers, and for companies to cease purchasing practices that jeopardize compliance. In response to this, a commitment was made by brands/retailers buying garments in Bangladesh and participating in the MFA Forum to agree a common code of compliance and implementation of that code, and to address purchasing practices. In 2006, an MFA Forum Buyers Group was formed with brands/retailers buying out of Bangaldesh whose aim is to discuss their approach to compliance in Bangladesh and how their purchasing practices impact on suppliers ability to deliver goods on time and in line with standards of compliance.
In 2007, the Bangladesh Buyers' Group commissioned a report that was supported and paid for by GTZ Bangladesh, that aimed to identify the practices among buyers that most significantly undermine manufacturers ability to comply with the brands codes of conduct. Download this report.
This MFA Forum Buyers Group has committed to continuing to work together to explore ways to harmonize application of a common code of conduct and to set up a process for monitoring and improving understanding about the link between compliance and purchasing practices.