12 March 2019
UNECE, Partners Developing Traceability Tool for Garment Supply Chains
Mlondolozi Mbolo/Decent Work Regulation
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The UN Economic Commission for Europe presented the tool at the OECD Due Diligence Forum.

The tool aims to help guide value chains towards more responsible production and consumption patterns, in line with SDG 12.

March 2019: The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the European Commission (EC), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Trade Centre (ITC) and private sector partners are developing a ‘Decent Work and Transparency and Traceability Tool,’ UNECE announced during the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Due Diligence Forum. This collaboration is part of efforts to advance sustainable production patterns and a circular economy approach, in line with SDG 12.

Momentum to address traceability and sustainability in the fashion and garment industry has been increasing, according to UNECE. In 2017, 100 major fashion brands expressed a commitment to sustainable fashion, recognizing the importance of enhancing the traceability and transparency of fashion value chains to promote more sustainable production patterns. In 2018, UNECE and ITC set up a multi-stakeholder platform to develop policy recommendations and traceability standards and contribute to SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production).

UNECE presented the traceability tool at the Due Diligence Forum, which convened from 12-14 February 2019, in Paris, France. UNECE shared an analysis on traceability from over 100 countries from around the world, which finds that only 34% of companies have traceability systems in place. In the presentation, UNECE highlighted the benefits of traceability, including building trust with consumers, developing networks among clients and suppliers and identifying opportunities for efficient and sustainable management of resources. UNECE’s analysis also finds that tracking and tracing the value chain makes sustainability claims more credible. UNECE also highlighted the development of a traceability standard and implementation guidelines as key for enhancing transparency and traceability.

UNECE and partners are building on this analysis to develop the ‘Decent Work and Transparency and Traceability Tool.’ The tool aims to help the fashion sector make risk-informed decisions and operate according to a set of internationally agreed practices. The overall aim is to guide value chains towards more responsible production and consumption patterns. The tool will feature a technical global standard for the traceability of sustainable value chains in the sector that will address the entire life-cycle of products.

The EU is providing support for the tool’s development. [UNECE Press Release] [OECD Forum] [OECD Analysis on Transparency and Traceability for Sustainable Value Chains] [SDG Knowledge Hub Story on UNCE, ITC Platform on Traceability] [SDG Knowledge Hub Story on Fashion Targets for Circular Economy]

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