US' Better Buying's president Marsha Dickson to speak at OECD forum

The need for such a discussion has been underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic, which drew significant attention to corporate purchasing practices and sparked numerous initiatives aimed at improvement. However, progress has been slower than desired. Reports from suppliers participating in Better Buying's annual surveys continue to highlight issues such as poor communication practices, late or inaccurate planning and forecasting, and aggressive cost negotiation strategies, Better Buying Institute said.

The dynamic, action-oriented session will bring together leading voices from across the garment and footwear industry to deliver unique insights and perspectives, identify priorities for action for different industry stakeholders, and outline practical steps that can be taken to accelerate change.

The session will explore what additional work the industry must undertake to improve buyers' purchasing practices. Discussions will focus on how buyers and other industry stakeholders can further contribute, barriers to driving improvements, responsible purchasing practices, expanding supplier participation in data collections, and showcasing best practices by brands and retailers in collecting and actioning supplier data.

Better Buying Institute is a US-based firm that reimagines supply chain sustainability, leveraging data to strengthen supplier-buyer relationships, and improve purchasing practices that drive profitability while protecting workers and the environment.

Other speakers include Pat Noonan, chief product officer at SanMar Corporation; Michael Levine, vice president and chief sustainability officer at Under Armour; Nikhil Hirdaramani, director at Hirdaramani Apparel; Stanley Szeto, executive chairman at Lever Style; Marc Beckmann, project director at Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit; and Janet Mensink, executive director of the Social Labour Convergence Program. The session will be facilitated by Anant Ahuja, head of organisational development at Shahi Exports.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP)