GOTS Releases New Due Diligence Handbook
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) has released its GOTS Due Diligence Handbook for Certified Entities in collaboration with the UpRights Foundation, a Hague-based human rights organization.
Considered a landmark publication, the handbook sets out criteria for the promotion of sustainability, human rights and ethical business conduct within the textile sector. It documents a step forward from the incorporation of Due Diligence Criteria in the latest GOTS 7.0 version, according to Ruslan Alyamkin, responsible, standard development and implementation for GOTS.
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“It is a testament to GOTS’s commitment to supporting certified entities in their journey towards required responsible business practices,” he said. “The handbook underscores GOTS’s dedication to promoting human rights, social justice and environmental integrity.”
GOTS is the stringent voluntary global standard, including environmental and social criteria, for the post-harvest processing of apparel and home textiles made with certified organic fiber. Post-harvest processing includes spinning, knitting, weaving, dying and manufacturing.
The handbook is a structured roadmap that leads certified entities through the fine-tuning of their management systems. It takes a holistic, due diligence approach making sure GOTS-certified companies not only identify but can prevent or resolve potential adverse impacts on human rights or the environment. The handbook ensures that GOTS-certified entities have the knowledge and tools to respond to potential challenges, and transform them into leaders in responsible business conduct within the textiles sector. The GOTS 7.0 criteria laid out in the handbook paves the way for a more sustainable and socially conscious business approach in textiles.
The content of the volume was developed in accordance with recognized international guidelines. They include 2018’s OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector, and the U.N. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). The handbook gives GOTS-certified entities clear guidance on integrating due diligence processes into their operations, which helps them comply with due diligence law such as the German Supply Chain Law, the French Vigilance Law, and upcoming EU legislation.
GOTS is currently undergoing the OECD Alignment Assessment, a three-stage process that will result in a reputable, independent evaluation of the GOTS Criteria’s alignment with the OECD’s due diligence guidance documents. The three parts include a standards assessment, an implementation assessment and a credibility assessment. Entering the first phase effectively showcases GOTS dedication to sustainable practices, in line with the comprehensive international framework for responsible garment and footwear supply chain laid out in the OECD Due Diligence Guidance. Supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, this process began in July of this year and is expected to be completed in January 2024.
Key provisions of the GOTS mandate include a ban on the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), highly hazardous chemicals like azo dyes and formaldehyde, and child labor. It also requires strong social compliance management systems and strict wastewater treatment practices.
GOTS was developed by leading international standard setters, including the Organic Trade Association, the Japan Organic Cotton Association, Germany’s International Association Natural Textile Industry, and the U.K.’s Soil Association to define globally acknowledged requirements that ensure the organic status of textiles, from field to finished product. It is a self-financed nonprofit.
The UpRights Foundation creates partnerships that apply international law to promote human rights. It has significant experience in business and human rights that informs how it brings about change in local communities with legal knowledge that is responsive to partners’ needs.
