To augment accountability and stimulate transparency within the textile supply chain, Responsible Sourcing Network (RSN) transitioned its Yarn Ethically & Sustainably Sourced initiative from a scheme platform to a membership model last October.
The nonprofit for-benefit organization has announced the first cohort of multi-stakeholder members for YESS, which works to drive forced labor out of the cotton supply chain using a risk-based due diligence approach as outlined by the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The cohort consists of an undisclosed number of members, but did call out Adidas, Fanatics Apparel, Inditex, The Walt Disney Company and Walmart by name.
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RSN argues there’s demand for this type of initiative, which is made clear by regulatory frameworks like the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
“Collaborating to address systemic risks is paramount for ensuring the wellbeing of workers up and down the value chain,” said Kristen Albertson, vice president of responsible sourcing for Walmart. “YESS will help us work together to increase transparency, build capabilities and manage risks in the yarn supply chain.”
Participating spinning and fabric mills can also become YESS members, which would grant them access to “essential trainings and resources while contributing to the ongoing evolution” of the program, per RSN. Initial Pakistani and Indian mill members include Nishat Mills, Raymond Denim, Shahi Exports and Sree Santhosh Garments, with more mills expected to onboard every month.
On top of brands and mills, civil society organizations (CSOs), academics and industry associations have joined the model. The United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) and Verité are of note, with RSN expecting to engage more CSO members as “risk mitigation efforts are implemented and the YESS Participating Mills list is referenced by other sustainability initiatives,” the nonprofit said. That complete list of partners is only accessible to YESS members, however.
“We are excited to see the growth of this industry-wide approach to due diligence. Companies, consumers and government regulators require accountability at every step along the cotton value chain. The YESS approach to due diligence fills a missing piece,” said Julia Hughes, president of the USFIA and YESS advisory committee member. “By training mills to manage their risk and increase transparency through to the raw cotton level, mills and brands are able to demonstrate that they are driving forced labor out of cotton production, in alignment with due diligence and forced labor laws in the U.S., Canada, Europe and elsewhere.”
YESS will scale, according to RSN, through “maximizing an e-learning platform and utilizing international auditing service providers.” Auditor management company Sumerra will oversee assessments in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Vietnam. Consultant company ARCHE Advisors, certification body ASSESS International and TÜV Rheinland will conduct these third-party audits.