WWF Report on water risk against textile and apparel industry in Vietnam 
On November 28, 2018, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), in collaboration with the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), published a report titled “Textile and Garment Sector in Vietnam: Water Risks and Solutions” in Ho Chi Minh City. The report was made to educate stakeholders on water-related risks, impacts and viable solutions for textile and apparel business which is main industrial sector in Vietnam operating more than 7,000 factories with 3 million employees, and relies heavily on water resources.
After assessing the water risks associated with the textile and apparel sector in Vietnam, the report presents the following 12 recommendations/targets for actions to be taken by stakeholders, including manufacturers, NGOs, government agencies, development agencies, donors and investors to mitigate water risks, based on results of its assessment.
| Short-term targets | 1. To establish a cross-industry organization, that is the “Lancang-Mekong River Stewardship Collective”. This will be jointly established by the six Mekong River basin countries, with data of risks and investment opportunities associated with the Mekong River and the development of the One Belt One Road.
2. To establish the “Textile Industry Water Partnership” to coordinate linkages between the sectors 3. To get textile factories and sewing factories to adopt water-saving practices and operate more efficiently 4. To carry out capacity building activities to disseminate the necessary knowledge on how to introduce water saving practices to human resources related to the textile and apparel industry 5. To implement chemical and wastewater management best practices to improve surface water quality in textile and sewing factories 6. To introduce effective water conservation and water use practices in industrial parks and promote best practices in water conservation and wastewater management at the industrial park level 7. To support the Vietnamese government to develop a smart water use program for the textile and apparel sector and promote efficient water use methods and technologies throughout the country |
| Mid-term targets | 1. To publish a guidance document on water use efficiency to share and promote good practices in water use in the textile industry
2. To promote a national reporting system against sector-based standards to demonstrate and further promote excellence in textile operations and reputation in wastewater and water quality management 3. To promote knowledge management of water governance and better understanding of policies and standards for water use among sector stakeholders |
| Long-term targets | 1. To establish a supporting fund for smart water use to reward textile and apparel factories that adopt more efficient and cleaner water use technologies
2. To support the Vietnamese government to develop a water governance policy that is consistent with international standards |
The full report can be downloaded at the following https://d2ouvy59p0dg6k.cloudfront.net/downloads/2018_wwf_report_vietnam_textile_sector_water_risks_and_solutions_final.pdf
