Adibul Islam, Senior Vice President, Shahi Export Pvt. Ltd., a leading garment manufacturer, shares: "The Sewing Machine Operators training program has significantly improved workers’ skills, productivity, and retention, a key factor in strengthening long-term workforce planning. Recognising the lasting benefits of a skilled workforce, the factory will be continuing the initiative beyond the project's support." This commitment reflects a deeper shift: businesses are no longer just beneficiaries of development initiatives but rather are becoming co-contributors of impact.
One such initiative is Swisscontact’s BYETS project, which operates across the ready-made garment (RMG), agro-processing (AP) and information and communication technology (ICT) sectors. In the RMG and AP industries, BYETS collaborates with factories to reinforce existing WBT systems or establish new ones. This ensures that workers are upskilled or reskilled to meet the evolving demands of industry. Through training-of-trainers sessions, master trainers are developed within factories who then train workers directly.
At the same time, the BYETS project is collaborating with private training centres across Bangladesh to provide ICT training for young people. The project is also working to build capacity by improving the centres’ competitiveness in the market. With the ambition of upskilling and reskilling 25,000 young people, the project has already made notable progress, garnering over Euro 2.6 million in contributions from the private sector. In addition to technical skills, the project’s curriculum incorporates an understanding of gender sensitivity, environmental responsibility and decent working conditions, thereby preparing participants for inclusive and sustainable employment.
This approach embodies the concepts of shared value and inclusive business, involving the development of interventions that address societal needs while simultaneously benefiting companies. By integrating low-income communities into value chains as producers, employees, or customers, businesses can generate mutual economic and social benefits. Although Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives are becoming increasingly prevalent, many companies still view them as additional costs with limited returns. However, the real opportunity lies in embedding CSR principles into core business strategies, particularly through measures that improve productivity, reduce costs, and build workforce resilience. For example, investments in skills development, for example, help to address talent shortages, reduce staff turnover, and create a more adaptable workforce.