Bangladesh’s leading textiles and apparels manufacturer breaks new ground in the sustainability space. With climate change seen as the most pressing global challenge over the next decade, more consumers are rewarding businesses that place sustainability at the top of their corporate agenda. This scrutiny has been especially heavy in the textiles industry, which is traditionally seen as a major contributor to global warming. The sector emits an estimated 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year, surpassing emissions from airlines and maritime industries combined. Against this backdrop, Bangladesh’s Beximco has emerged as a global leader in sustainable fashion manufacturing. Founded 26 years ago, the company counts Amazon, Bershka, Marks & Spencer, Michael Kors, Pull & Bear, Target and Zara among its customers. Amid rising demand for ethically-produced clothes, the company has put sustainability at the heart of its operations by employing a range of advanced manufacturing and supply chain management solutions—from using recycled materials to adopting an on demand manufacturing model—to meet the changing needs of its customers. With its investments in sustainable and financially viable projects, Beximco is at the forefront of the eco fashion trend. At the same time, it also supports the production of garments that are affordable, durable, comfortable and aesthetically appealing to the customer. “Every single brand and retailer that we work with has told us that sustainable manufacturing is an absolute necessity going forward,” says Syed Naved Husain, Group Director and CEO of Beximco. “They’ve made it clear that vendors who cannot supply ethical and sustainable clothing will eventually have a very limited role in this industry.” The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift towards sustainable products. A survey conducted by McKinsey in April 2020 showed that some 67% of consumers consider the use of sustainable materials to be an important factor when making purchases. Integrated Value ChainBeximco’s achievements in sustainable production is also helping Bangladesh shed its image as a low cost manufacturing hub, and leading the country’s progress to integrate into more important global value chains. “Beximco recognizes that the traditional approach to textile and garment production is no longer tenable,” says A. S. F. Rahman, Group Chairman of Beximco. “Integrating new technologies, embracing workplace innovations, adopting sustainable efficiencies are but a few of the critical changes that must be made to meet the changing demands of customers and markets.” Today, the Dhaka-based company is considered one of the most prominent eco-friendly fashion manufacturers in the region. “We are proud to have made significant advances and progress in the area of sustainability,” says Rahman, “We have some really exciting and revolutionary plans that will reduce the time, energy and effort to bring products to market and at the same time ensure the welfare of our communities and value chain partners.” Recycling With RecoverRecycling waste materials to manufacture high quality yarns is at the core of Beximco’s sustainability initiatives. Beximco has partnered with Recover Textile Systems—a Spanish recycling technology company that specialises in turning textile waste into premium fibers—to become the world’s largest collector and recycler of textile waste and a specialized spinner of high quality recycled yarn. Recover collects and sorts textile waste from around the world to produce new fibers that contain recycled cotton, blended with other recycled materials such as polyester from plastic water bottles. The high percentage of cotton means that such yarn can be used in the production of high-end textiles. The results are impressive. Recover’s process score is 1 on the Higg Index—the best possible score on the industry standard for measuring environmental sustainability. In comparison, garments made from conventional cotton have a Higg score of around 70, while organic cotton has a score of around 45. “All products made out of Recover textiles can be recycled at the end of their lives, returning into the system for a new production loop,” says Husain. Sustainable WashingBeximco is also pioneering the use of sustainable washing processes that are not only more friendly to the environment, but able to achieve a look and feel that matches consumers’ preferences, while remaining cost competitive. The conventional washing process for denim fabrics uses large amounts of fresh water, chemicals and energy, as well as produces waste and downstream effluents. To address these issues, Beximco collaborated with leading sustainability tech players such as Jeanologia and Tonello to modify the washing process. Beximco adopted Jeanologia’s 5.0 laundry technologies such as ozone to replace bleach, lasers to replace chemicals and smart foam to replace water to produce jeans. As a result, the company’s fresh water usage declined to a mere 1 liter per garment from 70 liters using conventional washing methods. That results to savings of as much as 900 million gallons of water per year. On Demand ManufacturingIn another effort to eliminate waste, Beximco is working with e-commerce giant Amazon to implement an on demand model of manufacturing that’s more economical and sustainable. While traditional clothing manufacturing is done months in advance of sales, an on demand product is only made after the sale is booked. The product is then shipped in just a few days. As a result, fashion brands will no longer have costly inventories to dispose of at the end of each season. “In an on demand model, Beximco’s customers do not need to order thousands of something that they may never sell,” says Husain. “There’s no inventory, no fabric wastage and no warehousing.” With on demand manufacturing raising the pressure to deliver products under a constrained timeline, Beximco has worked to optimize every process to speed up production without sacrificing quality. Higher Efficiency Cuts WasteOther sustainability projects Beximco has undertaken are aimed at increasing the company’s productivity and reducing waste by updating its technology and equipment.
For instance, the company upgraded its effluent treatment plant with new technology from the U.S. That’s necessary to protect the environment as effluent treatment prevents the discharge of hazardous substances that can contaminate ground water and cause illnesses and other issues. Beximco’s commitment to sustainability is also evident at its headquarters in Beximco Industrial Park—a green campus spread across 400 acres (1,600 square kilometers) in Gazipur, an industrial district north of Dhaka. Local residents call the campus the “Lungs of Gazipur” since it’s home to over 100,000 trees and an organic farm. The entire park has been awarded LEED Green certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. The company’s numerous sustainability efforts are one of the key measures of success that are considered by the company. “The role of sustainability is a fundamental KPI we have defined linked to long term success,” says Rahman. “It should not only be measured from an economic dimension but from a social and environmental one in terms of the well-being of people and the health of our planet.” To find out more, visit www.beximco.com. Source: Forbes - Leading The Way To Sustainable Fashion
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The Dhaka, Bangladesh-based pharmaceuticals company is leveraging its expertise to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. As the pandemic upended the healthcare supply chain over the past year, one company in Bangladesh did not only strive to ensure the continued distribution of medicines across the country, but also introduced its own antidote against Covid-19. In the midst of the unprecedented health crisis, Dhaka, Bangladesh-based Beximco Pharmaceuticals introduced remdesivir, the world’s first antiviral drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat those infected by the Covid-19 virus. Originally developed by U.S.-based Gilead Sciences, Beximco sells the generic drug under the brand name Bemsivir. The company, which is a leading manufacturer and exporter of generic drugs, provided Bemsivir shots free to all government-designated Covid-19 hospitals in Bangladesh and donated large quantities of the medicine to several countries, including India, on humanitarian grounds. “From the very beginning of this pandemic, Beximco Pharma has made an all-out effort to improve access to all repurposed drugs by ramping up their production in the quickest possible time,” says Nazmul Hassan MP, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Beximco Pharma. “Despite tremendous challenges, Beximco has worked to ensure the uninterrupted supply of medicines throughout Bangladesh.” The company is also playing a vital role in supplying vaccines to Bangladeshis, having secured 30 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute of India. The drug maker is now lending its expertise to a global initiative to ensure sufficient supply of drugs to fight the virus. In November 2020, it joined Medicines Patent Pool, a United Nations-backed public healthcare organization working to ensure the availability of life-saving medicines to low- and middle-income countries. A Leading Healthcare PlayerBeximco Pharma’s proactive and humanitarian approach to combating the Covid-19 pandemic is part of its larger commitment to putting corporate social responsibility (CSR) at the core of its values. “As a socially responsible corporation, Beximco Group constantly strives to make a positive impact in the communities we operate in,” says Shayan F. Rahman, Principal and Advisor to the Board of Beximco Group. “To this end, we have in place numerous programmes that make a truly unique contribution to development in Bangladesh. At Beximco, we believe we have a central role to play in creating positive social change.” Beximco Pharma started operations in 1976 by importing products from leading drug makers Bayer from Germany and Upjohn from the U.S., before acquiring the license to manufacture these products domestically. The firm has grown by leaps and bounds since then and has played a key role in the transformation of Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical industry from an import-dependent nation to an exporter. With a 4,500-strong workforce and a diverse portfolio of 500 products, the company is also emerging as a major global generic drug producer. Beximco Pharma’s manufacturing facilities are accredited by leading regulatory authorities worldwide, and its products are now being exported to more than 50 countries, including the highly regulated markets of the U.S., Europe and Australia. The company has also differentiated itself with its capabilities in hi-tech dosage delivery systems, such as metered dose inhalers. Today, the firm is the largest producer and exporter of inhalers in Bangladesh. Enhancing Health and Well-BeingBeximco Pharma’s vision is to enhance human health and well-being by providing effective medicines at affordable prices and manufactured in full compliance with world-class quality standards. It also aims to be one of the most trusted, admired and successful pharmaceutical companies in the region, with a focus on strengthening research and development capabilities as well as creating partnerships and building presence across the globe. “Beximco Pharma strives to provide access to life-saving therapies and make them affordable—at a fraction of the cost when compared to other developed and developing countries,” says Hassan. “The price of medicine in Bangladesh is probably the lowest in the world. Being a leading manufacturer, we have played an important role in introducing generic versions of many breakthroughs drugs and making them affordable to the patients.” To realize these ambitions, the company has adopted a set of core values that encompass a commitment to quality by leveraging best industry practices. It also prioritizes talent development and strictly adheres to the highest ethical standards. At the same time, Beximco Pharma actively takes part in initiatives that benefits society and contributes to the welfare of its people. Breaking New GroundBeximco Pharma has been a trailblazer in the industry over the past four decades. It was the first Bangladeshi company approved by the USFDA and first to export medicines to the U.S. The firm also has the highest number of global accreditations in the industry among all local manufacturers and is the only Bangladeshi firm listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange. Despite its achievements, the company isn’t resting on its laurels. It continues to make significant investments in R&D—equivalent to 1.5% of its annual revenues—particularly in areas such as biosimilars and vaccines, as it seeks to become a key player in the global market. “We are the only Bangladeshi company to export medicine to the U.S. and within a short span of time the U.S. has become the largest export market for us,” says Hassan. “This was possible largely due to our stringent quality standards and commitment to excellence.” Unsurprisingly, the company has won numerous accolades for its achievements. It is a five-time winner of the National Export (Gold) trophy, and remains the only company in Bangladesh to win highly prestigious global awards, including the SCRIP Awards, and the Global Generics and Biosimilars Awards, among others. Looking ahead, Beximco Pharma aims to ramp up contributions from its export business, expand its presence in regulated global markets and increase its focus on vaccines, biosimilars and oncology drugs. It also aims to foster more international collaborations and partnerships, and is also looking to make strategic acquisitions. Giving Back to SocietyAs a responsible corporate citizen, Beximco Pharma focuses its CSR activities on healthcare, education for the underprivileged, and research in the areas of medical devices. The company helped to fund biomedical research in developing a number of low-cost medical devices, including the country’s first negative pressure isolation canopy to protect doctors working in Covid-19 hospitals. It also fully sponsored the country’s lone clinical trial on a potential Covid-19 treatment. Furthermore, the company collaborates with non-profit organizations that work to improve people’s lives through research, information and advocacy. For instance, it supports the JAAGO Foundation, the country’s largest youth-based volunteer organization. In a separate initiative, the company has sponsored several computer learning schools in remote districts across Bangladesh in partnership with U.S.-based Computer Literacy Program. “As we grow, we continually strive to meet the needs and expectations of our stakeholders and society as a whole,” says Rahman. “We strongly believe we can only be successful if we create value not just for the company but also for the society, we live in.” To find out more, visit www.beximcopharma.com. Source: Forbes - Setting The Bar High For Generic Medicines For stopping the growth of the coronavirus pandemic, many countries have adopted the vaccine. In Bangladesh too, companies like Beximco Group, are encouraging the citizens to get vaccinated for fighting the pandemic and limiting the risk of life. Beximco Group is known for its commitment to the country and the people. According to the best private sector company in Bangladesh, preventing severe illness can also be possible for those citizens who have received the shot. Limiting the Rise of Risk |
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