Leather and footwear businesses are under a lot of pressure to "green" production.

Greening production is a mandatory requirement today, but meeting it is difficult when domestic footwear enterprises still face many challenges.

Businesses have gone "green"

At the Motivation Seminar on “Greening” the Textile and Footwear Supply Chain organized by Industry and Trade magazine on the morning of October 28, Ms. Phan Thi Thanh Xuan - Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association - informed that the leather and footwear industry is a very widely integrated industry, therefore, meeting sustainable standards has been implemented by businesses in the industry, especially large enterprises. However, in the past, the requirements for sustainable development were mainly set by brands, but up to now, they have been legalized in the industry's main markets such as the US, EU, etc.

Seminar on “Greening” the textile and footwear supply chain organized by Industry and Trade magazine on the morning of October 28. Photo: TCCT

For example, in the EU market, a number of laws have been enacted, such as the supply chain audit law or the anti-deforestation law. In the near future, a series of new laws on extended responsibility for manufacturers, eco-labeling, eco-design, etc. will be enacted. “ This is one of the biggest challenges for the leather and footwear industry as this market accounts for the majority of the industry’s export proportion, ” said Ms. Xuan.

Footwear is a fashion industry, so there is a difference in the green supply chain and it will have to develop from the first step, which is the design stage. Ms. Xuan gave an example, Nike has put forward 10 rules for the design stage, the purpose is that right from the idea generation, the manufacturer must aim to choose environmentally friendly materials as well as control the entire production process, ensuring the least emissions, as well as being able to reuse supplies and raw materials in the production process.

The brands themselves must also have a global commitment to reducing emissions as well as ensuring the greening of the entire supply chain. Being a supplier to global brands forces Vietnamese businesses to green their production. This is both a driving force and a pressure for domestic footwear businesses.

The leader of the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association also said that domestic leather and footwear enterprises, especially large enterprises and foreign-invested enterprises, have taken the lead in greening the production chain, such as: Innovating technology, using clean materials; participating in processes to evaluate and grant global certificates such as LEED certificates...

Clear solutions still needed

However, Ms. Xuan still believes that there are many challenges in the green transformation of enterprises. The biggest bottleneck is the lack of a comprehensive solution, guiding enterprises in the process of sustainable development, from building green criteria, to the entire implementation process, supporting enterprises to improve their internal strength in both resources and human resources to be able to transform green sustainably and successfully.

Footwear businesses are under a lot of pressure to “green” production. Photo: TH

The strategy for the development of the textile, garment and footwear industry to 2030, with a vision to 2035, has mentioned green transformation and circular economic development for the footwear industry. This strategy has also outlined specific goals as well as very clear general goals.

To achieve these goals, an action plan is needed, which includes issuing policies to encourage businesses and at the same time building a unified system of standards and regulations. “ Only when there is a comprehensive solution can we have a comprehensive view and build a clear system of conditions and standards, helping businesses have a basis to grasp and implement most accurately, ” Ms. Xuan emphasized.

The leader of the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association also expressed that the association hopes that the Ministry of Industry and Trade will be the focal point to coordinate with businesses to build an action program to help businesses improve their internal strength and move towards sustainable development in the near future.

From the perspective of a policy research unit, Dr. Nguyen Van Hoi - Director of the Institute for Strategy and Policy Research on Industry and Trade, Ministry of Industry and Trade, stated that in the next 5-10 years, it is necessary to effectively implement the Strategy for the development of the textile, garment and footwear industry to 2030, with a vision to 2035, which has been approved by the Prime Minister. The strategy sets out many goals and orientations for development, but the clear view is that state management agencies must accompany businesses.

To implement this strategy, it is necessary to develop, complete, amend and supplement related mechanisms and policies. In addition, perfecting energy policies and mechanisms will help businesses access green and clean energy sources in accordance with requirements and commitments.

Regarding foreign affairs, state management agencies, the Industry and Trade sector and relevant management agencies negotiate and exchange with partners to develop sets of criteria, standards or regulations to guide businesses to get closer to the international market.

“ We must negotiate directly and frankly, thereby providing information and supporting businesses to access greening criteria as well as green standard requirements in textile, garment and footwear products ,” emphasized Dr. Nguyen Van Hoi.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/doanh-nghiep-da-giay-chiu-nhieu-suc-ep-trong-xanh-hoa-san-xuat-355289.html