ICCB workshop on SME toolkit for the right standards for business

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) - Bangladesh hosted an event titled 'Find and pursue the right standards for your business: A Hands-on workshop with the SME Toolkit' in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Trade & Supply Chain Finance Program (TSCFP) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) in Dhaka on Saturday.

ICC Bangladesh Vice President A. K. Azad inaugurated the workshop as the chief guest while Secretary General Ataur Rahman moderated the session. International Trade Centre (ITC) Associate Programme Officer Dang Tuan Ducand and Software Engineer Niklas Anders Andersson gave their presentations on different topics during the workshop, says a statement.

In his inaugural address, ICCB Vice President A. K. Azad said SMEs are the backbone of any economy for its growth, development and employment generation.

With the graduation to middle-income country in 2026, Bangladesh will be facing tight competition from its competitors, he said, adding that strengthening the SMEs will make immense contribution to the entire supply chain process.

"We also have to ensure compliance and promote sustainability to drive export growth. As such, today's workshop has been organised to engage textile, apparel and footwear manufacturers in the pilot testing of the ITC/ADB Sustainability Standards Navigation Toolkit."

The Toolkit has developed to help SMEs enhance their awareness of sustainability standards, assess their readiness for certification, and receive actionable recommendations for sustainable practices and compliance for export, he said.

Mr. Azad thanked ADB's TSCFP and ITC for taking the initiative to develop the toolkit, and said that ICC Bangladesh will continue to organise workshops for strengthening the capacity of the SMEs to increase their exports.

About 40 participants from SMEs, including apparels, textiles and leather industries, and other corporate houses attended the workshop.