LCCI, PILER organise seminar

LAHORE: Pakistan must put responsible business conduct at the heart of export growth to meet the international expectations and standards to expand its external trade.

It was upshot of the speeches delivered by experts at a seminar on “Responsible Business Conduct in Punjab” at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The seminar was jointly organised by the LCCI, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), Employers Federation of Pakistan (EFP) and Workers Employers Bilateral Council of Pakistan (WEBCOP).

The speakers said with an estimated 37 million workers, Punjab’s contribution to the national labour force is the greatest in the country, representing approximately 61 percent of the national total.

Pakistan holds EU GSP Plus Status, giving it tariff-free access to Europe and it also benefits from free trade agreements with many nations across Asia and beyond, they said.

These trade partners value the high quality of Pakistan’s products, including cotton and readymade garments, transport equipment and sports goods. But they also increasingly demand high standards in other areas, the seminar speakers said.