South End Sweaters, a sweater manufacturing unit of Team Group, has received LEED Platinum certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), making it the 258th green garment factory in Bangladesh to be certified by the USGBC.
Out of the 258 certified factories in the country, 109 have received Platinum certification, 133 Gold, 12 Silver, and 4 have been certified. To achieve Platinum certification, a factory must score at least 80 out of 110 on the USGBC’s rating scale. Gold requires a score between 60 and 79, Silver between 50 and 59, and Certified status is awarded for scores between 40 and 49. South End Sweaters earned an impressive score of 85.
With this certification, Team Group now owns three LEED-certified factories. Its outerwear concern, 4A Yarn Dyeing Ltd, also holds LEED Platinum certification, while its woven concern, Brothers Fashion Ltd, is LEED Gold certified.
4A Yarn Dyeing Ltd has the distinction of being the world’s first outerwear manufacturing company to sign the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, a global initiative facilitated by the UNFCCC.
Abdullah Hil Nakib, Deputy Managing Director of Team Group, said, “We have always aimed to set benchmarks not only in business standards but also in sustainability. Our efforts to achieve LEED certifications are a testament to our commitment to environmental sustainability.”
He added, “Team Group believes that the sustainable growth of our industry is only possible through the practice of sustainability, innovation, and ensuring the well-being of both workers and employees.”