Boosting the SCORE on Better Working Conditions and Improved Productivity in SA's Clothing and Textile Manufacturing Sector

Battered by global competition, job cuts, declining consumer spending, and the gruelling effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, South Africa's clothing and textile manufacturing sector has been struggling to thrive.

Now, an innovative international programme, aimed at improving productivity, quality, competitiveness, and working conditions, is set to help the industry get back on its feet.

Lessons from the implementation of the International Labour Organization's tried-and-tested SCORE (Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises) programme will be shared during an online webinar on Thursday 15 April, 2021, from 10am to 12pm.

Speakers at the event include the Minister of Employment and Labour, Thulas Nxesi; the EU's Ambassador to South Africa, Dr Riina Kionka; the Acting Head of the Government Technical Advisory Centre, Lindiwe Ndlela; the General Secretary of the South African Clothing and Textiles Workers Union (SACTWU), Andre Kriel; and the CEO of the National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry (NBCCMI), Paul Wild.

SCORE has been piloted at 15 clothing and textile manufacturing firms in Kwa-Zulu Natal, Gauteng and the Western Cape.

The journey started in 2016, when the National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry (NBCCMI), in tandem with the clothing industry trade union (SACTWU) and employer associations, established the Productivity and Training Institute (PTI). The goal was to help clothing manufacturers and their employees develop competitive and sustainable workplaces through improved industrial relations.

The SCORE training methodology,  which has been tried and tested by suppliers of major global brands and products, is designed to achieve a "win-win" for employees and employers, by improving workplace cooperation, quality, productivity, workforce management, and safety and health in the workplace.

Initiated by SACTWU, the pilot  takes its cue from the 2018 Presidential Jobs Summit, which saw an agreement between the South African Government and social partners, to roll out inclusive growth interventions in the manufacturing sector.

The clothing and textile manufacturing industry was chosen for the pilot project because of the substantial challenges faced by the sector in the last two decades.

These include poor policies, strained employer-employee relationships, low levels of competitiveness especially with imports, aged equipment and manufacturing technologies, and insufficient investment in the training and skills required to respond to changing market and consumer demands.

The SCORE programme was piloted in a collaboration between the NBCCMI,  PTI, Productivity SA, and the EU-funded Capacity Building for Employment Promotion Programme (CBPEP) in the Government Technical Advisory Centre (GTAC), with the ILO providing technical support.

SCORE is a global ILO programme that focuses on:

• Reducing costs, waste and environmental impact;
• Upgrading the working environment;
• Increasing process systemisation and quality management;
• Strengthening communication and joint problem solving through improved workplace collaboration;
• And promoting the use of measurement to drive continuous improvement.

The webinar will reflect on lessons learned by trainers, employers, and workers from the participating firms and supporting institutions. It will explore the potential for rolling out SCORE to additional manufacturing sectors and industries.

The registration link for the webinar is

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FYOMnHkqSRaQ-Stpm-Qaig

Please see the agenda for the webinar below. For media queries or any more information, contact tom@lushomo.net.