Reference:2024/05_AFD/VETHIC.FE

about Geres

Created in 1976, Geres is an international development NGO which works to improve living conditions and fights against climate change and its impacts, the energy transition is a major lever of its action.

Energy is a common thread and a common denominator of Geres’ actions, which are structured around 5 areas: deployment of renewable energies, promotion of access to energy, control of energy demand, support for climate/energy interventions and citizen mobilization for climate solidarity.

Geres deploys its businesses with transversal approaches favoring impacts, duplication on a larger scale and the sustainability of actions: supporting economic development and promoting an inclusive territorial approach.

For ambitious societal change, Geres encourages the development and dissemination of innovative and local solutions, it supports territorial climate-energy policies and it mobilizes all stakeholders around Climate Solidarity by encouraging them to act and support the most vulnerable.

about Geres in cambodia

In Cambodia, Geres has more almost 30 years of experience in providing access to sustainable energy services, supporting vulnerable populations to become more resilient to climate change, and mobilizing businesses. It also has a solid grasp of the issues and solutions for energy and environmental performance and has been developing its inclusive strategy through a contextualized gender approach to reduce inequalities.

Initially focusing on domestic cooking and technical solutions, Geres strategy has evolved to include building the resilience of rural communities, supporting forest communities to manage wood energy resources and engaging with industrial biomass users. For example, in collaboration with H&M, AFD and UNDP, Geres developed recommendations on sustainable biomass production for the garment sector, with a focus on developing wood energy from plantations. This work continued with AFD under the CEMAATERR programme with pilot plantations in Kampong Chhnang province and through studies on energy efficiency and alternative fuel options to reduce unsustainable biomass consumption in the industrial sector. A project led by Geres and completed in 2019 aimed to assess the technical and economic feasibility of a transition to sustainable biofuels for H&M’s suppliers, and to continue research into the sources and modalities of industrial heat production. As part of the SCALE (Supply Chain and Landscape Approach in the Eastern Plains Landscape) project developed by WWF, H&M, Landscape Finance Lab and WCS, analyses and proposals were shared in feedback workshops with over 60 stakeholders.  In parallel, Geres collaborated with the Institute of Technology of Cambodia, and the ministries MISTI (ex-MoIH), MoAFF and MoE for the STEAM Sustainable Thermal Energy and Alternative bioMass in the garment industry to support the low-carbon development of the textile and brick industries through the consumption of renewable biomass energy.

From May 2020 until May 2024, Geres is co-implementing the Switch Garment project aimed at promoting clean energy adoption within Cambodia’s garment manufacturing industry. The project, funded by the EU’s SWITCH-Asia Programme, is a collaborative effort between Geres, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) as Lead implementer, and the Textile, Apparel, Footwear and Travel Goods Associations of Cambodia (TAFTAC) as the other co-implementer.

The vethic project

The AFD funded « Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Textile and Clothing Industry in Cambodia » (VETHIC) project, initiated in January 2022 by Geres in collaboration with its partners Cambodia Women for Peace and Development (CWPD) and Live & Learn Cambodia (LLC) aims to address critical issues within the garment sector in Cambodia. VETHIC project is co-funded by the project called “Switch-Garment” (2020-2024) itself funded by the European Union “Switch-Asia Grant Programme” and implemented by GGGI as lead and co-implemented by Geres and TAFTAC. This cofounding from Switch Garment represents 50% for the total budget of VETHIC project.

The garment sector, a prominent employer in Cambodia, faces significant challenges as a major energy consumer and greenhouse gas emitter. The VETHIC project seeks to mobilize stakeholders within the sector towards an energy transition and foster its low-carbon development. By enhancing the capacity of industry actors and promoting the economic and social benefits of sustainable practices, the project endeavors to empower managers and employees as catalysts for positive change.

The collective expertise of Geres and its partners uniquely positions them to address these challenges effectively. In Cambodia, Geres has been specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives, and has been specifically engaged with the textile sector since 2016. CWPD brings 17 years of experience in supporting textile workers, while LLC boasts recognized expertise in environmental mobilization.

The genesis of the VETHIC project stems from the urgent need to address the significant environmental and social impacts of the clothing sector. Through awareness-raising efforts and targeted support, the project aims to facilitate meaningful improvements in environmental sustainability and social welfare within the industry.

The main objective of the project is to enhance the environmental performance of the Cambodian garment sector by catalyzing the transition to sustainable energy practices.