Environmental, Social &
Corporate Governance

BEYOND COMPLIANT

At Epic, we conduct our business with an uncompromising commitment to the social and environmental wellbeing of our fellows. We work to build and sustain a culture of health, safety and sustainability that goes beyond compliance.

Women’s Empowerment

One of our key drives is to empower women from all cultural backgrounds develop the confidence to go into leadership roles. We teach both the soft and technical skills needed and in collaboration with BRAC Bangladesh we run Supervisor and Associates programmes which this year alone is helping 540 women ascend the career ladder.

We also collaborate with brand partners such as Uniqlo, Levi’s and Betterwork. We target to have 100% female middle management over the next three years. Women are already an integral part of our senior leadership team.

Gender Sensitisation

EPIC has a zero tolerance policy for harassment of any kind. To create a safe working environment for our female employees we’ve partnered with BRAC Bangladesh to provide a company-wide “Safeguard” training for all our staff. We also have a dedicated Complaints Committee with an independent ombudsman to handle all sexual harassment issues.

Already in the pipeline is a third-party helpline so employees can feel safe to share any grievances anonymously.

EPIC University

Our own in-house development institute consists of 3 fully digitised classrooms accommodating up to 120 participants, plus a fully equipped physical fitness centre.

We conduct regular training sessions for: New Joiners Induction, Health & Safety, Anti-Sexual Harassment and Grievance Handling Training, plus a full Supervisor development programme run in collaboration with BRAC and CARE Bangladesh.

Since 2018, over 5000 Associates and 800 Staff have been empowered by EPIC University.

Wage digitization & Fin Tech

In the ready-made garment industry, the transition from cash to digital payments has opened new doors for strengthening the digital ecosystem for garments associates. In this pursuit of building an inclusive digital ecosystem, Epic started paying salary through DBBL – Rocket (Mobile Financial service) for all our associates from 2020 to leverage banking and digital gateways. It is also augmented transparency and safety and financial inclusion.

Scholarship Programmes

Since 2012 we have been addressing our obligations of social responsibility. In our EGMCL factory we run a scholarship program that has covered schooling for two hundred fifty-nine children. In our PGCL factory, in collaboration with TESCO, we have covered schooling for twenty associates’ children.

Asian University for Women (AUW)

Our scholarship program with AUW, Pathways for Promise, aims to unlock the leadership potential of promising women currently working in garments factories. By providing them with university education & career development opportunities they can break the cycle of poverty.

Pathways to a Promising Future

By contributing to the decision-making in their fields, these educated women will then be able to improve the RMG industry from the inside, and dismantle prejudice against women and the working class. Through media coverage, role modelling and word of mouth, Pathways graduates will signal to the entire garments industry that a different, more sustainable and ethical path is possible.