Image credit: ©GIZ / Sabrina Asche
Review process
In the Review Process the members commit to their individual responsibility for their supply chains.
The implementation of due diligence obligations and public reporting form the basis for the work in the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles and remain a prerequisite for membership. Companies must report publicly at least every two years on how they comply with their due diligence obligations. Reporting takes place either in accordance with the agreed concept for the review process with the help of TexPerT or through public communication on the implementation of due diligence obligations in accordance with a recognized format. In addition to reporting via TexPerT, the following formats are currently recognized:
- Report to the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) within the framework of the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG)
- Reporting in accordance with the requirements of the Green Button 2.0
The recognition of other formats must be decided by the Steering Committee on the basis of the recommendation of the Due Diligence Strategy Group. In addition to covering the content of the due diligence approach, the prerequisite is public reporting on its implementation. Partial recognition of standards and member initiatives that go beyond the consideration described in the brief guidelines for the review process is not possible.
Supply Chain Responsibility
During the review process, members acknowledge their individual responsibility for sustainability in their supply chains.
The review process represents the individual commitment of the companies in the Partnership to take responsibility for sustainability in their supply chain. The aim of the review process is to effectively prevent and mitigate the most serious social, environmental and compliance risks in the supply chain.
An individual risk analysis based on eleven sector risks forms the basis of the process (Guidelines). Based on the results of the risk analysis, the companies derive targets and measures for the next two years. In addition to prevention and mitigation, remedial action and compensation is to be provided in the event of negative effects.
But the members don’t just look to the future. They are also taking a look back. What have they achieved in the past year to improve sustainability in their supply chains? What measures have they successfully implemented and what goals have they achieved? All of this is recorded in the progress report.
To verify and ensure the quality of the risk analysis, as well as the targets set and progress reported, a qualitative evaluation meeting is held, which is prepared and conducted by both an external service provider and the Partnership Secretariat.
In particular, the following questions are addressed: Are the objectives appropriate to prevent or mitigate the most serious risks? Are the objectives and measures derived from the risk analysis and the progress report in a meaningful and comprehensible way? All reports are then published here.
The members of the other stakeholder groups – i.e. associations, non-governmental organizations, standard organizations, trade unions and the German government – also have a reporting obligation within the Partnership. They describe how they have contributed to the Partnership in the past reporting period and what measures they have taken to achieve the Partnership’s goals.
Binding for all companies in the Partnership
In 2019, the review process was fundamentally revised and the focus was placed on the due diligence approach. Orientation was provided by the requirements and specifications of international frameworks such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector and the ILO Core Labor Standards. Members derive targets and measures from their individual risk analysis and prioritization and thus specifically address their most serious risks:
The 11 sector risks
Freedom of association & collective bargaining
Discrimination, sexual harassment and gender-specific violence
Health and safety
Wages and socialisations
Working hours
Child & forced labour
Corruption
Use of chemicals and wastewater
Fibres
Climate Protection and greenhouse gas emissions
Animal welfare
Publications on the topic of review process
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Review-Prozess 2021: Bericht des Deutschen Instituts für Menschenrechte |
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Step by step through the Review Process (2023) |
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Schritt für Schritt durch den Review-Prozess (2023) |
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Gesamtkonzept Review-Prozess (2020) |
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Identifying and prioritising risks (2020) |
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Risiken ermitteln und priorisieren (2020) |
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