Myanmar is taking the idea of social compliance very seriously. Garment factories are being supported in their efforts to establish sustainable company policies for good workplace conditions.

Garment factories are being trained to increase their compliance level with international social and environmental standards. The aim is to enhance the competitiveness of Myanmar garment factories and enable them to gain access to EU markets.

A group of ten Myanmar garment manufacturers has been selected as being compliant with the standards of the European market. The selection process was based on the orientation towards the EU market and the interest to improve social compliance. The training package aims at improving the working conditions in Myanmar factories, thereby increasing the productivity and product quality.

The training package was launched September 29, 2014, and will continue until February 2015, comprising group training sessions, in-factory consultancies and a final workshop for the interested public to present the experiences gained by the factories.

Myanmar has a long history of making yarn, fabric and garment. The EU’s inclusion of Myanmar in its Generalized Scheme of Preferences( GSP) allows Myanmar garments and footwear unfettered access to the world’s largest market. The EU imposes no quotas or tariffs on goods made in Myanmar except for weapons and ammunition