[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][diba_header_article _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”1400px” max_width=”100%” module_alignment=”center” height=”505px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/diba_header_article][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”|20px||20px” custom_padding_phone=”” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”100%” max_width=”1400px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_padding=”|10px|0px|10px||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][bastad_breadcrumb _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/bastad_breadcrumb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”100%” max_width=”1400px” custom_padding=”0px||12px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text module_class=”introduction-guide” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”24px” text_line_height=”1.65em” link_font=”||||||||” ul_font=”||||||||” ol_font=”||||||||” header_font=”||||||||” header_font_size=”29px” background_color=”#ffffff” background_image=”https:\/\/www.geres.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/BG-4.jpg” custom_padding=”44px|84px|39px|65px||” custom_padding_tablet=”40px|50px|40px|50px” custom_padding_phone=”|40px||40px” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” text_font_size_tablet=”17px” text_font_size_phone=”17px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px||4px|||” border_width_top=”1px” border_color_top=”rgba(92,122,153,0.25)” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row module_class=”content-page-article” _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”100%” max_width=”768px” module_alignment=”center” custom_padding=”26px|||||” saved_tabs=”all” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” min_height=”3960.5px”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.geres.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01-usine-textile-cambodge.jpg” title_text=”01-usine-textile-cambodge” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ custom_margin=”||3px|||” custom_padding=”0px|0px|22px|0px||” custom_padding_tablet=”|0px||0px” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” link_option_url_new_window=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
A garment is never simply an assembly of fibres. Its production requires energy, equipment, water, raw materials and international supply chains. It also relies on the work of thousands of people, on their living conditions, on the public services they can access and on the territories where factories are located. In Cambodia, this reality is particularly striking: the garment, footwear and textile sector is both a pillar of the economy and a space where energy, social and climate transitions intersect.<\/span><\/p>\n As the country\u2019s largest formal employer, the sector provides regular incomes to a predominantly female workforce. For many women, factory employment has strengthened their financial independence and their ability to contribute to household expenses. Wages sent back to rural areas also support families and local economies far beyond industrial zones. A significant share of workers\u2019 earnings therefore benefits rural communities as well.<\/p>\n But these advances coexist with persistent vulnerabilities. Women remain more concentrated in lower-skilled positions, have fewer opportunities for promotion and are more exposed to gender-based violence and harassment. People who have migrated from rural areas to cities also face a \u201cdouble expense\u201d: paying for housing and daily life near the factories while continuing to support their families in their home provinces. Rapid urbanisation is driving up rents and putting pressure on transport, services and infrastructure around production sites.<\/p>\n In other words, job creation alone is not enough to guarantee a just transition. These jobs must also enable people to live with dignity, provide effective access to existing social protection systems, and offer greater resilience to economic and climate shocks.<\/p>\n Since 2016, Geres has been supporting Cambodia\u2019s textile sector in adopting more sustainable energy practices<\/a>. An analysis of 50 energy audits identified a number of very practical levers: optimising boiler settings, insulating steam distribution networks, repairing compressed-air leaks, avoiding idle motor operation, improving ventilation systems and adapting lighting to actual needs.<\/p>\n These measures show that part of the energy savings available to factories does not necessarily depend on heavy technologies. An uninsulated pipe, excessive pressure or a fan left running in an unoccupied area can generate substantial losses. The SimplEE application, presented during the multi-stakeholder workshop held in April 2025, helps factories use a small amount of consumption data to identify and quantify the most relevant energy-efficiency measures.<\/p>\n This technical expertise provides a strong basis for reducing factories\u2019 costs and emissions. Yet energy efficiency alone does not define the sector\u2019s resilience. An investment decision can affect the organisation of work; a new environmental requirement may place pressure on a factory if it is not supported by brands; and lower energy consumption does not automatically protect workers from heat, income loss or difficulties in accessing social protection.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_cta button_text=”Clics” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#ffb622″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n A more energy-efficient factory is not automatically fairer, safer or better prepared for climate shocks.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_cta][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.geres.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/unnamed-3.jpg” title_text=”unnamed (3)” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”||3px|||” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px||” custom_padding_tablet=”|0px||0px” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” link_option_url_new_window=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n This is precisely what the study The Fabric of Impact<\/em> <\/a>brings to the discussion. Conducted by Geres, CARE France, CARE Cambodia and the Alliance for Conflict Transformation<\/em>, with contributions from local stakeholders including the Collective Union of Movement of Workers<\/em>, the research looks not at energy, climate, gender and working conditions separately, but at the ways these dimensions reinforce or undermine one another.<\/span><\/p>\n Social protection provides a good illustration. Among those surveyed, 98% were aware of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Cambodia\u2019s national social security scheme. Yet this high level of awareness hides only partial knowledge of people\u2019s rights: eligibility requirements, family coverage, maternity benefits and the procedures to access them remain poorly understood.<\/p>\n The gap between the existence of a system and its actual accessibility is particularly significant for migrant workers. Difficulties obtaining administrative documents, temporary or informal contracts, overly complex information and uneven service quality can all limit effective access to benefits. The study also found that only two factories in the sample offered support genuinely adapted to migrant workers\u2019 needs, such as housing or transport assistance.<\/p>\n The focus therefore shifts: the question is no longer simply \u201cdoes a policy exist?\u201d, but rather \u201cwho can actually benefit from it, with what information, what resources and what possibilities for recourse?\u201d<\/p>\n Climate change is not an external risk to industrial operations. It is already affecting health, incomes, mobility and productivity. Among the workers surveyed, 38% reported a loss of income linked to extreme weather events. During periods of intense heat, the study estimates daily productivity losses at 5.5%.<\/p>\n Another result is particularly revealing: 68% of respondents said they felt generally prepared for extreme weather events, but only 8% felt genuinely capable of adapting to them. This gap does not reflect a lack of individual willingness. Rather, it points to a shortage of practical knowledge, financing, equipment, suitable work organisation and institutional support.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ module_class=”content-page-article” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ width=”100%” max_width=”768px” module_alignment=”center” custom_padding=”26px|||||” saved_tabs=”all” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” min_height=”431.4px”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_cta button_text=”Clics” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#ffb622″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n of respondents reported a loss of income linked to extreme weather events<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_cta][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”||3px|||” custom_padding=”0px|0px|22px|0px||” custom_padding_tablet=”|0px||0px” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” link_option_url_new_window=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” type=”1_3″][et_pb_cta button_text=”Clics” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#29A4AD” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n estimated daily productivity loss during extreme heat events.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_cta][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_cta button_text=”Clics” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#7CDA24″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n said they felt generally prepared vs said they felt genuinely capable of adapting.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_cta][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_class=”content-page-article” _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”100%” max_width=”768px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”|2px||auto||” custom_padding=”0px|||||” saved_tabs=”all” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” min_height=”1137.5px”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”||3px|||” custom_padding=”0px|0px|22px|0px||” custom_padding_tablet=”|0px||0px” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” link_option_url_new_window=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The impacts are also gendered. In addition to paid work, women still carry a significant share of caregiving responsibilities. When a child or relative becomes ill during a heatwave or flood, their availability for paid work may decrease. Certain clothing norms, sometimes adopted to protect themselves from harassment, can also increase thermal discomfort. An adaptation strategy that ignores these realities therefore risks reproducing the very inequalities it seeks to reduce.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.geres.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/03-atelier-multipartite-cambodge-1.jpg” title_text=”03-atelier-multipartite-cambodge” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ custom_margin=”||3px|||” custom_padding=”0px|0px|1px|0px||” custom_padding_tablet=”|0px||0px” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” link_option_url_new_window=”on” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n No single organisation controls all of these levers. This is why Geres works alongside CARE France<\/a>, CARE Cambodia<\/a>, the Alliance for Conflict Transformation<\/a>, trade unions, factories, brands and public institutions. In April 2025, 76 participants came together to discuss and challenge the research findings during a multi-stakeholder workshop. Workers, factory managers, trade unions, local NGOs, government bodies, academics, brands and development partners all contributed to defining a shared vision for the sector by 2035.<\/p>\n Four conditions for change emerged from this collective work:<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ module_class=”content-page-article” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ width=”100%” max_width=”768px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”|728px||auto||” custom_padding=”26px|||||” saved_tabs=”all” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ background_color=”#ffb622″ custom_css_main_element=”background: white;” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding=”||0px|||”]<\/p>\n Train teams, workers and service providers in energy, social and climate solutions.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ background_color=”#ffb622″ custom_css_main_element=”background: white;” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Make trade-offs, responsibilities and decision-making power within the value chain more visible.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ background_color=”#ffb622″ custom_css_main_element=”background: white;” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Connect standards, financing, social protection, urban planning and climate adaptation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ background_color=”#ffb622″ custom_css_main_element=”background: white;” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Make health, safety and adaptive capacity full-fledged performance criteria.<\/span><\/p>\n \n<\/div>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_class=”content-page-article” _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”100%” max_width=”768px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”|2px||auto||” custom_padding=”0px|||||” saved_tabs=”all” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”||3px|||” custom_padding=”0px|0px|22px|0px||” custom_padding_tablet=”|0px||0px” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” link_option_url_new_window=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” min_height=”1210px”]<\/p>\n These conditions point towards a fairer distribution of responsibilities. Factories can act on energy consumption, thermal comfort, worker information and the implementation of protections. Brands need to align purchasing practices, environmental criteria and financing. Public authorities have a decisive role to play in social protection, urban planning, recycling infrastructure and adaptation standards. Civil society organisations and trade unions, meanwhile, help bring forward the experiences of those directly concerned and turn findings into negotiated solutions.<\/span><\/p>\n The challenge is therefore not to add a social component to an energy programme, or a climate component to a human resources policy. It is to think in terms of a single transition in which emissions reduction, competitiveness, rights, health and adaptive capacity progress together.<\/p>\n The Cambodian experience shows that a low-carbon textile industry will only be sustainable if it also protects the people who make it possible. Kilowatt-hours saved and tonnes of CO\u2082 avoided remain essential indicators, but they must be considered alongside access to rights, job quality, occupational health and the impacts of industrial activity on surrounding communities.<\/p>\n This is where Geres contributes: through energy expertise built as close as possible to industrial practices, serving a collective approach that combines its partners\u2019 social and gender expertise, the knowledge of Cambodian stakeholders and the voices of workers themselves.<\/p>\n Because behind every garment, there is not just one transition to achieve, but an entire system to make fairer and more resilient.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read the study The Fabric of Impact<\/a><\/p>\n Learn about the Geres project<\/a><\/p>\n View the fact sheets on sustainable energy<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ module_class=”agir-en-faveur” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ background_color=”#29A4AD” background_image=”https:\/\/www.geres.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Group-14-1-1.svg” saved_tabs=”all” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”90%” max_width=”1400px” custom_padding=”|20px||20px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”||||||||” header_font=”||||||||” header_text_color=”#ffffff” header_font_size=”37px” header_line_height=”1.2em” header_2_font=”||||||||” header_3_font=”||||||||” header_3_text_align=”center” header_3_text_color=”#ffffff” header_3_font_size=”37px” header_3_line_height=”1.2em” header_3_font_size_tablet=”31px” header_3_font_size_phone=”28px” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”20px” header_font=”||||||||” header_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” custom_padding_tablet=”|20px||20px” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_css_main_element=”display: flex;||justify-content:center;” text_text_align=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Dites-nous qui vous \u00eates et d\u00e9couvrez vos moyens d’action<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”90%” max_width=”1400px” custom_margin=”||0px|” custom_padding=”||0px|0px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_css_main_element=”background: white;” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Parce que la Solidarit\u00e9 climatique est l\u2019affaire de toutes et tous, le Geres vous donne les cl\u00e9s pour passer \u00e0 l\u2019action.<\/p>\n AGIR EN TANT QUE CITOYEN\u00b7NE<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_css_main_element=”background: white;” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n En tant que dirigeant\u00b7e d’entreprise, employ\u00e9\u00b7e ou client\u00b7e responsable, vous avez le pouvoir d’agir au quotidien.<\/p>\n AGIR EN TANT QU’ENTREPRISE<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”90%” max_width=”1400px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Texte” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_css_main_element=”background: white;” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Soutenez nos actions en France et \u00e0 l’international et devenez un acteur de la Solidarit\u00e9 climatique.<\/p>\n AGIR EN TANT QU’INSTITUTION<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_css_main_element=”background: white;” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n En vous engageant aux c\u00f4t\u00e9s du Geres, vous contribuez \u00e0 la mise en \u0153uvre d\u2019actions innovantes et concr\u00e8tes.<\/p>\n AGIR EN TANT QUE FONDATION<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.16″ text_orientation=”center” link_option_url=”#” global_colors_info=”{}”]AUTRE PROFIL ? CONTACTEZ-NOUS<\/a>[\/et_pb_code][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"An essential sector under growing pressure<\/span><\/h2>\n
Reducing energy use: the first step in a broader transformation<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/h2>\n
Starting from lived realities to understand interdependencies<\/span><\/h2>\n
When climate change enters the factory<\/span><\/h2>\n
38 %<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
Source : <\/span>The Fabric of Impact<\/em>.<\/span><\/h4>\n
5,5 %<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
68 % vs 8\u00a0%<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
\u00a9 2024 Nasa Dip \/ CARE Cambodia<\/span><\/h4>\n
Building the transition through multiple voices<\/span><\/h2>\n
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1. Develop skills<\/span><\/h3>\n
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3. Organise accountable dialogue<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
2. Improve policies<\/span><\/h3>\n
4. Improve working conditions<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Towards a truly resilient textile industry<\/h2>\n
LEARN MORE<\/h3>\n
\n
VOUS SOUHAITEZ AGIR EN FAVEUR DE LA SOLIDARIT\u00c9
\nCLIMATIQUE ET SOUTENIR NOS ACTIONS ?<\/h3>\nCITOYEN\u00b7NE\u00b7S<\/strong><\/h4>\n
ENTREPRISES<\/strong><\/h4>\n
INSTITUTIONS & COLLECTIVIT\u00c9S<\/strong><\/h4>\n
FONDATIONS<\/strong><\/h4>\n
<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>