Developing the production of quick response textiles in southern Morocco Note: This project has been cancelled, because of a dispute between the partners and a drastic decrease in the demand for textile products in Europe.The partners in this project intended to set up a workshop for cloth manufacturing in southern Morocco in 2008, recognising the opportunity of flexible delivery from Morocco to nice markets in the garment sector in the Netherlands and Belgium.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)Project partners consider work safety, fair salary payments, decent secondary working conditions, a health policy and compliance to environmental standards as important issues to run a company.As Diwas Sarl aims to sell its products as a niche product to specific clients in the fashion retail business, the shareholders of the company consider it very important to certify the production process according to the internationally accepted standard SA 8000. With an SA 8000 certificate Diwas Sarl can guarantee its clients transparent, decent and fair production circumstances and therewith add value to the product and strengthen the buyer-purchaser relation.All CSR issues will be laid down in a company CSR policy document (to be developed during the project implementation).Impact•	Employment and working conditionsAt the end of the project the number of full-time employees is planned to be 41, nearly all involved in production activities. After the expansion of the production capacity the number of employees will increase to 77.Diwas Sarl considers good and safe work conditions as intrinsic elements of the company. It realises that decent salary payments (employees will receive gross minimum wage net), proper working conditions and a set of fringe benefits should guarantee satisfied and productive employees. The company will initiate and support collective health insurance and assist employees with the organisation of childcare. Fringe benefits will include low costs meals, provision of sport and recreation facilities for staff and the possibility for employees and their relatives to purchase cloths at reduced prices. Work conditions and fringe benefits will be elaborated in the CSR policy Diwas Sarl will prepare during the implementation of the project.•	Innovation / Transfer of knowledgeAn extensive training and support programme for the production workers and management of the company is planned. New knowledge and experience will be transferred in the field of:- Sewing, tailoring and cutting techniques.- Organisation and planning of production. Production will be done in production cells that work on one single order or product. This will bring both flexibility and a higher level of responsibility for and connection with the final product.Social responsible management. Diwas Sarl management and staff will be trained and guided in principles and background of social responsible management as will be at; trained by certification of the production process according to SA 8000. Diwas Sarl will set an example as SA 8000 certification is relatively new to the Moroccan textile sector.•	Chain effectsIn order to guarantee reliable supplies of raw materials, Diwas Sarl will give high attention to creating sustainable partnerships with local suppliers. It is part of the company's policy to source fabrics, yarn and packaging material as much as possible locally as long as the price-quality relation is acceptable. Presently poly-cotton and cotton feel fabrics are purchased from a company in Casablanca. As fabrics and yarn make up around 70% of the production costs a positive development of Diwas Sarl will result in substantial revenues for suppliers.•	EnvironmentThe production activities of Diwas Sarl have a limited environmental impact. Shareholders of Diwas Sarl consider care for the environment and minimizing the environmental impact as integral parts of the company's activities. From this point of view investments will be made in solar panels to generate and safeguard the own, back up electricity supply.•	Position of womenThe Souss Valley is a very poor and traditional region of Morocco. There are not many job opportunities and many men leave the region to search for work elsewhere in the country. For the women, Diwas Sarl represents one of the few opportunities to work and gain some (economic) independence.Diwas Sarl will be managed by a female manager and all production workers will be female. Diwas Sarl will pay specific attention to the organisation of child care and flexible leave in order to give the women the opportunity to combine both work and family tasks. Set up of a garment production facility in the Souss valley of southern Morocco to serve niche markets in Europe and Morocco with quality garments responding to clients demand with regard to flexibility on quantities, measures and delivery times.