© Dollatum Hanrud/ shutterstock.com
SustainabilityPrivate sector engagementInstruments and structures of development cooperationEcology and ClimateHuman Rights and GovernanceAll regionsconcluded

The Promotion of Sustainable Supply Chains by German Development Cooperation

The aim of German development cooperation (DC) is to reduce negative social and environmental effects in global (textile) supply chains and to contribute to their long-term sustainability. The evaluation therefore examined the interplay of development cooperation instruments and measures. The evaluation was completed in 2023.

 

The global textile supply chain faces numerous social and environmental sustainability challenges. These include, for example, the disregard of labor rights or environmental pollution due to the improper use of chemicals. To promote sustainable textile supply chains, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) uses various instruments to address specific target groups along the textile supply chain (instrument mix). The target groups include textile factories in the partner countries, purchasing companies, consumers in Germany and political and legislative actors.

The evaluation analyzed the BMZ's promotion of sustainable textile supply chains. The object of the evaluation was the interplay of development cooperation instruments and measures to promote sustainable global supply chains in the textile sector. The measures are primarily implemented by state implementing organizations (e.g. GIZ) and often with the participation of private sector and civil society actors. The evaluation questions related on the one hand to the extent to which the instruments used or their combination were suitable, and on the other hand to the extent to which the desired objectives were achieved.

 

Key findings and recommendations

  • A positive result of the evaluation is that the instrument mix of German development cooperation addresses relevant social and environmental challenges in the textile sector. All relevant target groups are addressed.
  • The BMZ also played a key role in the creation of the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG). For the first time, this provides binding legal requirements for purchasing companies to fulfill their corporate due diligence obligations more actively.
  • However, there is no guiding concept at strategic and operational level to promote textile supply chains. Given the length of textile supply chains, the complexity of the need for development policy action and the large number of stakeholders, the BMZ would need a guiding concept for strategic management of the instrument mix.
  • The lack of a guiding concept can be seen, among other things, in the activities in the partner country Bangladesh: although moderate, comprehensible contributions to the protection of workers from occupational accidents and to environmental protection were identified, these have not (yet) led to fundamental changes.
  • DEval therefore recommends that the BMZ develop an overarching impact and action-oriented concept for the promotion of sustainable global textile supply chains. In addition, the BMZ should make greater efforts to achieve national, European and multilateral policy coherence. Further recommendations are aimed at voluntary initiatives such as the Textile Partnership and promoting sustainable public procurement.
© DEval

Background

Global supply chains - particularly in the textile sector - are characterized by numerous social and environmental sustainability challenges. Awareness of this has increased in business, politics, civil society and the public as a result of disasters such as the fire at the Ali Enterprises textile factory in Pakistan in 2012 and the collapse of the Rana Plaza textile factory in Bangladesh in 2013.

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has set itself the goal of promoting fair and sustainable global textile supply chains. The German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval) therefore examined the interplay of instruments and measures of German development cooperation (DC) to promote sustainable global supply chains in the textile sector.

Objectives

The evaluation object was the mix of instruments used by German development cooperation to promote sustainable supply chains in the textile sector.

The overarching evaluation questions were:

  • Relevance, coherence and efficiency: To what extent are the instruments used in German development cooperation or their combination suitable for promoting sustainable supply chains?
  • Effectiveness and impact: To what extent are the objectives pursued by the BMZ in promoting sustainable supply chains achieved?

The evaluation pursued accountability and learning objectives in particular. Firstly, in terms of accountability, it was analyzed whether and to what extent German development cooperation has contributed to promoting social and environmental sustainability in global supply chains. Secondly, the aim of the evaluation was to contribute to learning and enable evidence-based policy-making. To this end, strategic-operational conclusions and recommendations for future action were generated.

Methods

The evaluation followed a theory-based evaluation approach. The evaluation design included a portfolio analysis and two case studies (Bangladesh and Germany). Interviews, strategy, program and project documents, a representative survey as well as scientific and grey literature served as a data basis. The methods qualitative content analysis, semi-systematic literature analysis and contribution analysis were used to answer the evaluation questions.

Related Links

Contact

Portrait von Amélie Gräfin zu Eulenburg
© DEval

Amélie Gräfin zu Eulenburg

Head of Department: Sustainable Economic and Social Development, Integrity Officer

Phone: +49 (0)228 336907-930

E-mail: amelie.eulenburg@DEval.org

Portrait von Dr. Angela Heucher
© DEval

Dr Angela Heucher

Senior Evaluator - Team Leader, Gender Equality Officer

Phone: +49 (0)228 336907-938

E-mail: angela.heucher@DEval.org

To Top