What SMART Factories does

SMART Factories is a not-for-profit enterprise advisory and training programme operating under the EU-funded MADE in Myanmar (Multistakeholder Alliance for Decent Employment in Myanmar) project, with its legal/project identity anchored in Germany via implementing partner sequa gGmbH and Myanmar via EuroCham Myanmar. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Yangon with a regional footprint in Mandalay, the programme delivers on-site factory assessments, advisory modules, and training to garment, textile and footwear factories in Myanmar, covering social compliance, occupational safety and health, labour law, chemical management, energy and water efficiency, and workplace nutrition. Between 2013 and 2022 it worked with approximately 400 factories, reaching over 203,000 workers (88% women at MADE factories), and it remains the only locally accredited service provider for ILO's SCORE training method in Myanmar.

The programme's product portfolio spans the core SMART Factories Programme (on-site advisory modules plus a workshop track for up to 200 factories per year), specialised academies such as the SMART Social Compliance Academy, SMART Management Systems Labs, the Chemical Management & Detox Accelerator co-developed with GIZ, the SMART Environmental Management Programme, the Forum on Supply Chain Conduct (multi-stakeholder dialogue platform), the Centre for Women's Advancement (community centres for women garment workers), and two Android educational apps (Shwe Job and SatYone Superstar). Service delivery is people-led by roughly 18 to over 20 full-time trainers, engineers and factory assessors, of whom seven are ILO-certified SCORE trainers.

The business model is donor- and membership-funded rather than commercial. Core funding of 3 million EUR from the European Union covers the December 2022 – December 2026 MADE phase, building on a prior 2.8 million EUR SWITCH Asia grant from 2013, with co-funding from the German government. A supplementary private-sector revenue stream comes from the Alliance membership for international brands and retailers sourcing from Myanmar, priced at 10,000–50,000 EUR annually based on company size, with public signatories including H&M, Adidas, Inditex, Primark, C&A, Gap, Lidl, Lindex and Bestseller. Factory participation is free of charge, positioning the programme as a shared public-good infrastructure for the Myanmar apparel sector rather than a fee-for-service consultancy.

Name

SMART Factories

Legal name

MADE in Myanmar (Multistakeholder Alliance for Decent Employment in Myanmar)

Website

https://smartmyanmar.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SMART Factories is a non-profit, EU-funded enterprise advisory programme under the MADE in Myanmar project that delivers on-site assessments, training, and multi-stakeholder dialogue to garment, textile, and footwear factories in Myanmar, primarily serving local factory managers and workers alongside sourcing international brands such as H&M, Adidas, and Inditex.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Compliance and Workforce Training Services

akta.pro primary industry

Occupational Health & Industrial Hygiene (BPAHAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Safety & Compliance (OSHA, Lockout/Tagout, Machine Guarding) (EDAOAGAL), Production Operations & Shop Floor Systems (MPS, MES basics) (EDAOAGAH)

Keywords

• Garment factory compliance training
• Social compliance assessments
• Workplace safety training
• Industrial relations advisory
• Chemical management consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Yangon

HQ country

Myanmar (Burma)

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. EU Funding: Core funding of 3 million euro is provided by the European Union. The project was initially funded by the EU's SWITCH Asia programme with 2.8 million euros. The project is also co-funded by the German government.
2. Private Sector Co-funding: Larger private sector apparel retailers (brands, buyers) which join the Alliance are expected to co-fund with additional contributions ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 EUR annually, based on company size and size of operation in Myanmar.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

SMART Factories delivers on-site factory assessments, advisory modules, training programmes, and follow-up visits covering social compliance, industrial relations, chemical management, energy efficiency, and workplace nutrition to Myanmar garment, textile, and footwear factories. It also operates an Alliance membership programme for international brands sourcing from Myanmar, providing Tier 1 and Tier 2 supplier access and workforce/supplier development support.

Product overview

SMART Factories is an enterprise advisory programme under the EU-funded MADE in Myanmar project that offers a portfolio of training and advisory services for the Myanmar apparel, textile, and footwear industry. The core offering consists of the SMART Factories Programme delivering on-site advisory modules and the SMART Management Systems Labs workshop series. These are complemented by specialized programmes including the SMART Social Compliance Academy, the ILO SCORE Program, the Chemical Management & Detox Accelerator, and the Environmental Management Program. Additional components include the Forum on Supply Chain Conduct for industry dialogue and the Centre for Women's Advancement for women worker support. The programme also provides educational mobile applications (Shwe Job and SatYone Superstar) for worker training. Together, these services address social compliance, environmental management, occupational safety and health, HR management, and industrial relations across hundreds of factories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SMART Factories Programme: Enterprise advisory programmes implementing training, assessments, and advisory support for factory managers and workers on workplace safety, labour law compliance, and environmental practices.
• SMART Management Systems Labs
• SMART Social Compliance Academy
• Forum on Supply Chain Conduct
• Women's Centres Programme / Centres for Women's Advancement
• Shwe Job App
• SCORE Programme

Products and services

• On-site Factory Assessments On-site assessments of working conditions at Myanmar garment, textile, and footwear factories, covering social compliance, industrial relations, chemical management, energy efficiency, and workplace nutrition. Designed for Myanmar factory owners and management. Approximately 400 factories have been assessed since 2013.
• Advisory Modules and Training Programmes Core capacity-building offering comprising advisory modules, sector-specific in-house training, and follow-up visits to Myanmar garment, textile, and footwear factories. Topics include social compliance, industrial relations, chemical management, energy efficiency, and workplace nutrition. Delivered through direct on-site training using ILO-certified curricula.
• Alliance Membership Programme Paid annual membership tiered as Bronze, Silver, and Gold (EUR 7,500 to EUR 15,000 per year), providing international brands and retailers with Tier 1 and Tier 2 supplier access, workforce and supplier development support, and a seat on the Steering Committee.
• Training-of-Trainers Programme Structured training-of-trainers programme delivered in cooperation with Hand in Hand International to build local capacity for delivering SMART Factories' curriculum to Myanmar factories.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 203,000 workers employed at MADE factories benefit from improved workplace conditions
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers30 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association (MGMA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Key industry partner for the MADE project. SMART has cooperated with MGMA on factory visits, the Myanmar Buyers Forum, and other industry events. The Chairman of MGMA participates in project activities.
• Myanmar Centre for Responsible BusinessminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2022Participates in MADE Steering Committee and provides insights on responsible business practices in Myanmar.
• MYPODminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2018DANIDA funded project led by Danish Ethical Trading Initiative. Cooperated with SMART to introduce ergonomics to Myanmar's garment industry through seminar on Ergonomics, OSH and Efficiency.
• Aalborg UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2018Assistant Professor David Hansen from Aalborg University presented on ergonomics and operations management at seminar hosted at Yangon Technological University.
• Yangon Technological UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2018Partner for ergonomics seminar; Human Resources Development Centre of Yangon Technological University hosted the event. Dr. Daw Khin Than Yu, Pro-Rector, gave welcome speech.
• Aung Myin Hmu Training CentreminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2018Project Manager Harry Schwarz presented practical applications and observations on ergonomics in garment production and workstations.
• Mandalay Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MRCCI)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2018Local chamber cooperating with SMART on Employers' Briefing on Labour Laws in Mandalay. SMART organized first public seminar in Mandalay region.
• Business Innovation Facility (BIF)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Cooperated with SMART to organize the first Myanmar Buyers' Forum in May 2018. Facilitated discussions on skills development, HR management, environmental management and business conditions with 16 international brands.
• SUSAminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2018Consultancy contracted by GIZ SLSG to teach workplace cooperation methods as part of the Going Green Dialogue programme with 3 factories.
• Foreign Trade Association of German Retailers (AVE)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Managed SMART Myanmar's involvement in the Myanmar Buyers' Forum. Andrea Breyer, Head of Trade Policy and Sustainability at AVE, facilitated day two of the conference.
• Partnership for Sustainable TextilesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2017German multi-stakeholder initiative on sustainable textiles. Cooperated with SMART on chemical management training and extending factory improvement programmes.
• Thone Pan HlamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2017Community association of women garment workers. Hosts Sunday Café II women's community centre in cooperation with SMART. Organizes Myanmar Women's Day celebration and other events for garment workers.
• Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2017Cooperated on SME Financial Competency Training with 61 members attending. Also hosts labour laws seminars and other training events at UMFCCI Mingalar Hall.
• GIZ - Social and Labour Standards in the Textile and Garment Sector in AsiamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Cooperation with GIZ programme for seminar series on Myanmar labour and environmental laws, employers' briefings, and chemical management training. GIZ PSES provided curriculum and expertise for chemical management training developed over 10+ years.
• Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Joint workshop sessions on Social Dialogue, Labour Laws and Managing Across Cultures for foreign factory managers. Conducted workshops with 50+ participants and waitlist of 40+. ETI is in discussions with SMART to organize smaller updates meeting for brands.
• China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Cooperates with SMART on workshops for Chinese/Mandarin speaking factory managers on Social Dialogue and Managing Across Cultures.
• Luther Law FirmmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2017Provides legal seminars on Myanmar labour and environmental laws for factory managers and staff. Lawyers from Luther Law Firm conduct employer briefings on labour laws.
• Myanmar Banks AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Cooperated with SMART on green finance training for bankers. ADFIAP conducted green banking training programme culminating in certifications.
• 3F (Danish trade union)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Jesper Nielsen, Head of International Department from 3F, participated as panelist in ergonomics seminar on productivity via effective management/worker communications.
• Industrial Workers Federation of MyanmarminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Labour federation represented in panel discussions on workplace communications and productivity.
• ADFIAP - Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the PacificmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2016Implementing partner for green finance training programmes. Conducted green banker training for 28 banks with 39 bankers certified as 'Green Bankers'. Also conducts SME Financial Competency Training for accessing green financing.
• Made-bymajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2016Implementing partner providing procurement expertise for sustainable public procurement assessments and dialogue. Dr. Christina Raab, Principal Consultant from Made-by, leads activities on integrating sustainability criteria into public procurement.
• Myanmar Industries AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Participated in SME Financial Competency Training programme conducted by SMART and ADFIAP.
• International Labour Organization (ILO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Partnership to develop SCORE programme for Myanmar's garment industries. ILO certified 7 of SMART's technical experts as SCORE trainers in early 2016. SMART is the only accredited locally based service provider to teach ILO's SCORE programme. Workshop materials on FoA and WCCs originally developed by ILO.
• Kaizen InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Cooperated with SMART Myanmar and ILO to develop the SCORE programme for garment industries.
• sequa gGmbHcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2013Lead implementing partner of the MADE project. Previously led the original SMART Myanmar project consortium. Provides project management, technical expertise, and coordinates with other partners. The sequa Project Director oversees programme implementation.
• EuroCham MyanmarcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2013Implementing partner of MADE project, responsible for engaging European businesses and coordinating with the Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association. Companies with smaller volumes can participate vis-a-vis their membership in EuroCham.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Ulula: Worker engagement and supply-chain transparency platform used by brands and suppliers to capture worker voice and ESG data in apparel and agri supply chains. Comparable as a technology-enabled complement to SMART Factories' in-person training and advisory model for monitoring worker conditions.

Direct peers

• Fair Wear Foundation: Multi-stakeholder organization that works with apparel brands, factories and workers to improve labour conditions in garment supply chains. Comparable as a buyer-funded, factory-engagement model focused on social compliance in apparel, though active across multiple countries rather than Myanmar only.
• Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI): UK-based alliance of companies, trade unions and NGOs promoting workers' rights in supply chains. Already a strategic partner of SMART Factories; comparable as a multi-stakeholder platform convening brands, unions and NGOs around apparel supply-chain compliance.
• Better Work (ILO/IFC): Joint ILO-IFC programme delivering factory-level advisory, training and assessment services to improve working conditions in the global apparel industry. Most directly comparable to SMART Factories as both are ILO-affiliated, donor-funded, on-site compliance programmes for garment factories.

Broad incumbents

• Sedex: Membership-based platform for sharing supplier ethical trade information, including SMETA audits widely used by apparel and FMCG brands. Comparable as a globally scaled incumbent enabling buyers and suppliers to manage labour-rights and environmental data across apparel supply chains.
• ELEVATE: Commercial supply-chain sustainability services firm offering ESG advisory, auditing and programme management for apparel and consumer-goods brands. Comparable as a fee-for-service buyer of compliance services in apparel factories that competes for the same brand-budget allocation.
• Fair Labor Association (FLA): Multi-stakeholder non-profit that promotes fair labour standards worldwide through accreditation and independent monitoring of apparel and consumer-goods supply chains. Comparable as an apparel-sector compliance accreditor that brands rely on for credible social compliance assurance.
• Social Accountability International (SAI): Non-profit that develops and promotes the SA8000 social accountability standard for workplaces. Comparable as an internationally recognized standard-setter that apparel suppliers use to demonstrate social compliance to brands - the same buyer-supplier dynamic SMART Factories supports in Myanmar.
• amfori (BSCI): Global business association for sustainable trade, owner of the amfori BSCI social compliance system used by thousands of retailers and importers. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering factory audit and social compliance infrastructure that apparel brands use to evidence responsible sourcing.

Others

• Clean Clothes Campaign: Global alliance dedicated to improving working conditions and supporting workers' rights in the garment and sportswear industry. Comparable as an NGO-side stakeholder advocating for garment-worker rights that operates alongside, and sometimes partners with, factory-level training programmes like SMART Factories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SMARTMyanmar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smart-textile-and-garments

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SMART Factories