Sustainable Leather Tanning Industry in Bangladesh: Integrating Lean and Institutional Logics into OHS Management

Bangladesh has a long tradition of exporting leather products, and the leather sector is the second-largest export sector of Bangladesh after ready-made garments. Both sectors share similarities as labor-intensive industries employing low-skilled workers with persistent issues related to unsafe work conditions.

The Danish Government has adopted a strategy to contribute to Bangladesh’s sustainable development goal by providing strong support to OHS improvements in the key strategic sectors like leather industry and garment industries

The project can significantly contribute to several UN SDG goals notably Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3); Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work for all (SDG 8); Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9).

Although scholars have acknowledged the presence of competing institutional logics related to OHS and Lean, there has been limited theoretical and empirical research on how Lean interventions can contribute to creating a new integrative dominant logic. Therefore, the overarching objective of the project is to create new knowledge (e.g., new theoretical knowledge and novel empirical knowledge) on improvement and sustainment of OHS practices in tannery industry by integration with Lean.

The SusLeather project will be undertaken in collaboration between University of Southern Denmark (SDU) and Ahsanullah Science and Technology University (AUST), Bangladesh

 The active dissemination and publications of SusLeather’s research findings will target the research community, tanneries, public regulatory agencies, NGOs and to the general public.