The Partnership for Sustainable Textiles celebrated its tenth anniversary with a jubilee event in Berlin. Together with Development Minister Svenja Schulze, Parliamentary State Secretaries Dr Bärbel Kofler (BMZ), Dr Bettina Hoffmann (BMUV) and State Secretary Lilian Tschan (BMAS) as well as almost 130 high-level representatives from the economy, civil society, trade unions, standard organisations and producing countries, the event addressed the Partnership’s achievements and future prospects. 

Many milestones have been achieved in the last 10 years, such as supporting over 12,000 small farmers in their transition to organic cotton. Another achievement is the improvement of labour and production conditions in more than 820 supplier companies. In addition, over 160,000 employees in supplier companies have received improved access to remedy. 

For a decade now, the Textiles Partnership has been demonstrating how a strong alliance can anticipate necessary changes and test them in practice. Various stakeholders work hand in hand to improve social and ecological conditions in the supply chain and to explore and expand the scope of possibilities. 

Declaration of intent to strengthen rights holders 

A highlight of the event was the signing of the declaration of intent ‘Strengthening local trade unions and local NGOs as legitimate representatives of rights holders – because no single actor can do it alone’ by Development Minister Svenja Schulze and members and partners of the Partnership. 

This declaration of intent is supported by a large number of partnership members, including Blutsgeschwister GmbH, Deuter Sport GmbH, Hakro GmbH, Karl Dickhoff GmbH & Co. KG, KiK Textilien und Non-Food GmbH, Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG, s.Oliver Bernd Freier GmbH & Co. KG, Tchibo GmbH, Weitblick GmbH & Co. KG, FEMNET e. V., Health and Environment Justice Support e. V., INKOTA-netzwerk e. V., SÜDWIND e. V., Fairtrade Deutschland e. V. and ver.di – Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft. The declaration affirms the need to recognise trade unions and non-governmental organisations in producing countries as legitimate representatives of rights holders and to incorporate their perspectives in an inclusive and participatory manner into the Partnership’s work. 

Strong alliances are key to the social and ecological transformation of global supply chains. Substantial improvements in global supply chains can only be driven forward together.