The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has launched a global consultation process for a new Sector Standard to increase transparency in one of the world’s most complex and influential industries: textiles and apparel. This draft standard targets all organizations in the production and retail of textiles, apparel, footwear and jewelry. The main objective is to enable the sector to report more consistently and fully on its wide-ranging environmental, social and economic impacts, such as water pollution, hazardous chemical use, excessive working hours and gender discrimination.
In particular, the standard aims to address the lack of traceability and transparency in global supply chains. This lack made it difficult for organizations in the sector to identify and manage various risks, including human rights. The sector is labor-intensive, employing an estimated 70 million people, and poor working conditions and low wages are among the biggest concerns. GRI will finalize the Standard with feedback from stakeholders (suppliers, brands, civil society and investors). The new standard aims to encourage more ethical and sustainable business practices by enabling organizations in the sector to clearly report on their most significant impacts.
