As a partner of Oporajita, LightCastle Partners is working to strengthen the RMG sector for future-proofing the livelihood of women apparel workers. The aim is to ensure that Bangladesh’s apparel sector is prepared to tackle the changing tides in the coming decade. This will enable the market to work towards better livelihood for the women apparel workers in the long run.
LightCastle Partners is conducting a landscape and future scenario study of Bangladesh's apparel sector. This study will evaluate the current ecosystem, industry practices, automation levels, and skills, comparing them to global technology trends, circularity, climate impact, and upcoming policies, to assess Bangladesh's preparedness and competitiveness.
Following the conclusion of the landscaping study, LightCastle, with its implementing partner Policy Exchange, will facilitate a dialogue series to promote coordination among various stakeholders in the apparel industry. The goal is to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing to ensure a smooth and successful transition to an automated future, benefiting both the RMG industry and its workforce.
Founded in 2013, LightCastle Partners (LCP) is a management consulting firm that takes a systemic and data-driven approach to creating opportunities for growth and impact. The firm offers research, consulting, policy analysis, project design, implementation, and technical assistance to development partners, corporate foundations, private sector organizations, and government entities.
LightCastle specializes in private sector development and inclusive market systems, with extensive experience in RMG, WASH, women’s economic empowerment, agriculture, financial inclusion, enterprise development, value chain assessment, humanitarian aid, sustainability, and impact evaluation.
Till date, the firm has consulted for 150+ development partners & private organizations on 250+ projects, collaborated with 650+ SMEs & startups.
LightCastle Partner's main focus since its establishment has been to contribute to Bangladesh's inclusive growth story. The Ready-Made Garments (RMG) sector has played a pivotal role in the country's progress, accounting for around 83% of total exports and offering employment to more than 4 million people, with a significant representation of women in the workforce.
Over the past ten years, through strategic partnerships with development partners, private sector organizations, and associations, the firm has successfully delivered nine impactful engagements geared towards strengthening the apparel sector.
With a shared vision, LightCastle joined forces with Oporajita: Collective Impact on Future of Work — to empower women garment workers of Bangladesh, enabling them to prosper in an increasingly automated future.
Under the program's umbrella, there are three prominent activities taking place:
To gain a comprehensive understanding of the apparel sector's landscape, the project has conducted focus group discussions with women garment workers, as well as in-depth interviews with industry leaders, innovators, academia, and development partners.
These interactions have taken place in key regions including Dhaka, Savar, Gazipur, and Chattogram. The key informants this project interviewed come from around the globe, engaging innovators from India, Kenya, Brazil, and Sweden. Through these engagements, the project aims to gather valuable insights and perspectives from various stakeholders, contributing to a more informed and holistic analysis of the apparel sector as a whole and a future oriented vision for Bangladesh.