Strengthening Sri Lanka’s Apparel Industry Through Social Compliance: GTEX Workshop Concludes in Colombo

The International Trade Centre (ITC) supported by the Embassy of Switzerland, successfully concluded a full-day workshop on Social Compliance under the Global Textiles and Clothing Programme (GTEX) at the Galle Face Hotel, Colombo.

GTEX II programme has implemented by the Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDCA) together with the International Trade Center (ITC) in collaboration with EDB.

The workshop brought together leading apparel exporters, compliance professionals, and policy stakeholders to deepen industry understanding of evolving global regulations and share practical strategies to enhance compliance performance.

Opening remarks were delivered by Mr. Matthias Knappe (Head, Fibres, Textiles and Clothing Unit, ITC), Mr. Olivier Praz (Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Switzerland), Mr. Mangala Wijesighe (Chairman & CEO, EDB), and Mr. Yohan Lawrence (Secretary General, JAAF), who emphasized the strategic importance of compliance in ensuring the long-term competitiveness of Sri Lanka’s apparel sector in global markets.

Key highlights from the agenda included:

• A comprehensive overview of the global compliance landscape by Ms. Eranthi Premaratne (Social Compliance Lead, GTEX SL, ITC), focusing on frameworks such as SLCP, WRAP, and ETI.
• Industry insights through case studies from MAS Holdings (Shyamali Liyanage, DGM - Compliance & Social Sustainability) and Brandix Apparel (Vinura Jayawardena, Senior Manager), showcasing how local champions are navigating compliance challenges while embedding sustainability and resilience.
• An interactive problem-solving workshop led by experts from the Center for Lean Excellence, enabling participants to collaboratively address recurring factory-level issues.
• A hands-on training session on implementing compliance management systems, equipping attendees with practical tools and methodologies to enhance internal audits and supplier monitoring.
• A briefing on the Global Textile Academy presented by Ms. Navya Wijewickrema (GTEX SL, ITC), introducing digital learning opportunities for continuous compliance capacity building.

The event concluded with closing remarks from Mr. Knappe and Mr. Roshan Peries (National Project Coordinator, GTEX SL), who reiterated ITC’s commitment to supporting Sri Lankan apparel exporters in aligning with international standards while fostering inclusive growth and decent work.

The workshop marked a key step forward in building a resilient, socially responsible supply base in Sri Lanka — one that is ready to meet the demands of a changing global trade environment.

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GTEX Sri Lanka | International Trade Centre