Piloting eco-innovation in Viet Nam (under Reducing uses and releases of chemicals of concern, including POPs, in the textiles sector – GEF)

The UNEP Eco-innovation approach helps SMEs to develop a business model, shaped by a new business strategy, which incorporates sustainability throughout all business operations based on life cycle thinking and in cooperation with partners across the value chain. It entails a coordinated set of modifications or novel solutions to products (goods/services), processes, market approach and organizational structure which leads to a company’s enhanced performance and competitiveness. The UNEP eco-innovation textile supplement guides technical intermediaries (i.e. service providers that help SMEs in a consultancy role to apply eco-innovation) how to apply this approach in this specific sector, with the UNEP eco-innovation chemicals supplement providing further cross-sectoral guidance. The Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded project “Reducing uses and releases of chemicals of concern, including POPs, in the textiles sector” (hereinafter GEF 7), will pilot how eco-innovation can help textile SMEs in one country to better manage or phase out priority chemicals of concern (CoCs), including POPs, while creating incentives for them to adopt change. Brands or associations can act as entry points to identify SME suppliers in the project countries, to change business models through eco-innovation methodology (with a target to eliminate POPs). Focus will be on upstream interventions involving a whole value chain (i.e. multiple companies). Applying the eco-innovation methodology could have outcomes such as changing product design (e.g., for increased durability, better recyclability), business models (e.g., reuse, repair), and consumer engagement (e.g., through campaigns or eco-labels), all with a broad sustainability focus but including addressing POPs.

13 May, 2025

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MJRNZEdH7fqfJPs5uXTMb9TeYPquLHDf?usp=drive_link