About the webinar

The Asia Garment Hub unites professionals, suppliers, organisations and resources to further sustainable supply chains across Asia. This webinar marked the launch of the partnership between Common Objective (CO), GIZ and ILO to merge the original AGH platform with Common Objective, creating an interactive space for engagement, networking, and knowledge-sharing on the Common Objective platform. 

Find the full webinar recording below, along with time stamps and a summary of key learnings. If you would like to be a part of the conversation, connect with webinar participants and members of the Asia Garment Hub, or have ideas or projects to share, join the Asia Garment Hub circle.

Speakers included representatives from RISE, which brings together the four largest women’s empowerment programmes in apparel, STAR Network - Asia’s leading coalition of producer associations, Issara Institute - advancing worker voice and labour rights innovation, and the Fashion Producer Collective, as well as Common Objective, GIZ and ILO. 

Webinar registrants included a diverse community of professionals and practitioners from brands, retailers, suppliers and organisations, including representatives from AllSaints to Kuyichi, Lululemon,  River Island, Stanley Stella, Target, Clean Clothes Campaign, Fairtrade Foundation, UNGC, WFTO, and more, alongside many suppliers and producer groups across Asia.

Topics covered:

• Collaboration for impact: Representatives from RISE, STAR Network, Fashion Producer Collective and Issara Institute shared with us how they are using collaboration to maximise sustainability impact in apparel supply chains. 
• An overview of the Asia Garment Hub: The CO team gave an overview of the resources available on the hub, from country hubs, supplier insider insights, reports and training to Circle forums and supplier showcases.
• Asia Garment Hub history and achievements: We heard from the project's founders on why the Asia Garment Hub was created and why it remains a vital platform for the industry. 

What we learned:

• Collaboration can scale innovation, exponentially: since RISE was formed 2 years ago, bringing together 4 women's empowerment programmes, they have been able to reach 750,000 women across 9 countries, reaching many more users and faster than ever before.
• Supplier voices are beginning to be amplified: Both the Fashion Producer Collective and STAR Network described how regular supplier meet-ups and coming together across borders has enabled them suppliers to hear and learn from each other and advocate for their members.
• US Tariff increases need to be shared with consumers: Annet Soti, co-founder of the Fashion Producer Collective and R&D lead at Yee Chain Ltd, a fabric manufacturer, argued that the burden of tariff increases needs to be shared between suppliers and consumers. 

Complete Recording

Recording Timings

00.00-04.05: Introduction by Tamsin Lejeune, founder and CEO of Common Objective

04.05-06.58: About the Asia Garment Hub project by Constantia Chirnside, sustainability advisor at GIZ and co-director of the Asia Garment Hub

7:39-11.25: About the Asia Garment Hub project by David Williams, manager of the Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable Supply Chains project at the ILO. 

11.26-13.35: Asia Garment Hub features showcase by Tamsin Lejeune

13.35-19.36: Content showcase by Melanie Plank, director of content and training at Common Objective

19.36-26.35: Circles, notices and business profiles overview by Andy Showell-Rogers, director of impact at Common Objective

26.35-31.04: How STAR Network has used collaboration to advocate for the interests of suppliers in Asia, Sovichea Saron: representative of the STAR Network

31.04-37.55: Why collaboration is at the heart of the Fashion Producer Collective and what the upshot will be of the US tariff rises. Annet Soti, co-founder of the Fashion Producer Collective/R&D lead at Yee Chain Ltd

38.00-40.58: How RISE has has taken a collaborative approach to scale its impact, Smita Nimilita, Global Foundations lead at RISE

41.15-44.42: How collaboration has increased the impact of workers voice programmes at Issara Institute, Sandi Tun, business and human rights officer at Issara Institute

44.43-48.57: Achievements and objectives of the Asia Garment Hub, Constantia Chirnside of GIZ and David Williams of the ILO

49.27-55.12: Audience Q&A

Asia Garment Hub Founding Partners

The Asia Garment Hub was jointly developed by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the International Labour Organization (ILO) as a central platform for industry collaboration.

In 2025, the Asia Garment Hub (AGH) officially joined forces with Common Objective (CO) to promote decent work and environmental progress. This merger brings new opportunities for both platforms and their users. combining the strengths of both platforms, fostering a more dynamic and interactive community dedicated to advancing sustainability and decent work across Asian garment supply chains.