China and the OECD partner to promote responsible business in global textile and apparel supply chains
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The signing of the MOU was celebrated on the occasion of the OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector in Paris on 30-31 January 2018 |
30/01/2018 - The China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC) and the OECD today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that sets out their commitment to intensify co-operation to promote responsible business in global textile and apparel supply chains.
When extending his congratulations on the signing of the MOU, Chen Dapeng, Vice President of CNTAC, said that "the expertise and network of OECD in promoting and implementing responsible business conduct globally are of tremendous value for CNTAC, which has been playing a leading role in global textile and garment production as well as in China's social responsibility arena. This is also the reason for CNTAC to try its best in the past decade to shape a fair and responsible global textile and garment supply chain. The joint vision of CNTAC and OECD as enshrined in the MOU will connect the efforts made by global suppliers and by global brands and buyers, thus creating more synergy as well as multiplier effects." He further stated that "CNTAC will honour the MOU and work together with OECD and other international stakeholders to make the visions in the MOU a reality."
Mathilde Mesnard, OECD Deputy Director of Financial and Enterprise Affairs, noted that “CNTAC has been one of our original and key strategic partners for work on responsible business conduct in China. By signing this MOU we are taking our relationship to a higher level to promote the implementation of responsible business conduct in global textile and apparel supply chains. Thanks to this collaboration, in the coming years we will have the opportunity to co-operate on the development of a Chinese-owned due diligence guidance for the textile and apparel supply chain that is aligned with OECD guidance but adapted to the Chinese context. In recognition of China’s incredibly important role in this sector, with almost 40% market share, we see this as a step towards furthering our collective ambitions for a global level playing field for companies in the textile and apparel sector on responsible business conduct. However, we know that guidance in of itself is only a beginning. Therefore, we are committed to partnering with CNTAC to engage CNTAC’s members to build the capacity of industry to carry out due diligence through joint training, tool development, workshops and potentially research, including through the China Center for Responsible Business and Sustainable Development. I am certain that this collaboration with CNTAC – with this renewed impetus – will produce many important fruits. The willingness of our Chinese partners to work with us and others is as a strong signal of the increasing importance that China and its industry attach to the issue of responsible business conduct within the context of the global growth agenda. We look forward to collaborating for a more inclusive and sustainable global economy.”
This work is carried out within the broader framework of co-operation between the People’s Republic of China and the OECD on responsible business conduct, and is a direct outcome of the China-OECD Joint Programme of Work from 2015-16. This work will seek to contribute to the aims of China’s Center for Responsible Business and Sustainable Development, of which CNTAC is a founding member.
For further information, journalists are invited to contact Jennifer Schappert (+33 1 45 24 17 81) or daf.contact@oecd.org.
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