UNIDO produces definitive guide for global exporters
The United National Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) has produced a guidebook aimed at helping exporters of footwear, apparel and furniture in developing countries to access global production and supply chains. The book, titled ‘Making private standards work for you: A guide to private standards in the garments, footwear and furniture sectors’, focuses on social, safety and environmental issues and has been compiled with reference to existing private standards.
A spokesman for UNIDO said in a statement about the new title: “Some estimates suggest that more than 1,000 codes of conduct and management systems exist. But most companies in developing countries do not have much tangible information.”
Companies wishing to export products to global markets are increasingly required to comply with complex private standards; the guide is intended as a tool for producers of footwear, apparel and furniture who seek information on such standards. It also notes that any exporter should gain the necessary qualifications in order to qualify as a potential supplier to brands and retailers.
“First and foremost, the enterprise must respect local and national legislation. Next, it needs the necessary scale and capacity to export, including product quality, competitive prices, sufficient volume, and it should be capable of timely delivery. All this will be in addition to complying with technical regulations in the target markets,” UNIDO said in a statement.
The preparation of guidebook was supported by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation and developed in collaboration with the Dutch Centre for Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries.
