Britannia make a splash at school and in Bangladesh garment industry

Bangladesh has found its feet as a major production hub in the global garment industry, and the national economy has seen huge improvements thanks to this thriving sector. However, there is still plenty of improvement to be made, and here at Britannia we want to help make a real difference!

Britannia helps to brighten up the neighborhood

Jamil Ahmed, our managing director in Bangladesh, recently visited a school situated near to our factory. It had been run by a NGO, but during the last year this funding ceased and the school began to fall into disrepair.

Around 400 pupils attend the school which has only five teachers – and just two toilets! After visiting the school, Jamil felt that something needed to be done to help improve conditions for the pupils, and the teachers who were working hard to improve their futures.

Jamil’s daughter Alvin and a group of friends volunteered to repaint the school and carry out some repair work, led by Jamil himself. Britannia spent just £200 to acquire supplies for the school’s redecoration, reusing paint left over from our own factory refurbishment.

Caring for our community

We know that the biggest single challenge facing most of our customers is ethical responsible sourcing. The global garment industry has transformed following tragic disasters such as the Rana Plaza collapse, and the public is now more concerned than ever about where their clothing comes from and how it was produced.

However, the abundance of skilled labour in Bangladesh means that the country is a dream destination for many fashion brands, and the garment sector has become a huge part of Bangladesh’s economy in turn, employing over four million people.

We believe in caring for our community by improving standards within the garment industry. That’s why we ensure that all our production facilities around the world meet internationally respected ethical, environmental and health and safety standards.

Setting standards in the Bangladesh garment industry

Britannia’s new factory in Bangladesh is no exception. Based in Dhaka, our garment packaging facility is filled with the latest digital printing machines and includes a dedicated woven label building. All electrical wiring, fire protection equipment and exit doors across single storey factory floor also meet exceptional health and safety standards.

The 70,000 square foot facility currently houses around 120 employees, but has capacity for three times this number, leaving plenty of potential for future expansion. Jamil believes that the condition of the factory helps to motivate our employees, just as the condition of the repainted school will hopefully motivate its pupils. We want to plan for future success.