New Alliance for Sustainable Clothing, Textiles and Shoes

It is not always easy for companies to understand their suppliers' labour risks. Through our network of trade unions, CNV Internationaal can play an important role in working with companies to make a positive impact in their supply chains. Through the deployment of our Fair Work Monitor and the concept of multi-company collective agreements, we can contribute to transparency, monitoring and sustainable improvement together with companies.

The Textile Alliance builds on the Covenant on Sustainable Clothing and Textiles (CKT), which operated from 4 July 2016 to 31 December 2021. This covenant focused on achieving substantial improvements within the supplier chain of clothing and textile production. It provided companies with tools to remedy the negative impact of their activities and supported them in jointly addressing problems that individual companies could not solve alone.

Afterwards, there was a clear need from participants and stakeholders to move forward together. Also recent research by the Authority Consumer & Market (ACM)confirms that need:

More than 90% of companies recognise the need to cooperate with buyers and suppliers in their sustainability efforts.

That is why industry organisations Modint and InRetail, Mondiaal FNV, FNV and CNV Internationaal have collaborated within the SER on a new textile alliance. This way, we facilitate a platform for sectoral cooperation for tangible impact in the apparel, textile and footwear sector.

Participation in the Alliance enables companies to make an impact based on the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. These make clear what the Dutch government (and 50 other countries) expects from companies when doing business internationally in terms of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

They also position companies proactively for emerging legislation around sustainability and CSR, such as the Corporate ustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).

This is not only beneficial for dealing with regulation; it also improves companies' reputation with consumers, investors and partners.

New regulations, such as the Forced Labour Regulation, require companies to actively demonstrate that they prevent forced labour within their chains. This requires a thorough due diligence approach.

The Textile Alliance offers a collective approach that is necessary in the fight against abuses that often go unnoticed in the supply chain.

Participation in the Textile Alliance offers companies several benefits to meet sustainability and due diligence requirements. Here are the main ones:

1. Network & stakeholders: Access to experts in high-risk countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam , which is essential for compliance.
2. Model policies & tools: Useful models and roadmaps for immediate implementation.
3. Training & advice: Practical training focused on labour rights and trade union freedom.
4. Automated monitoring: Efficient progress monitoring without unnecessary administrative burden.
5. Adaptations to legislation: Ahead of future regulations through alignment with relevant directives.
6. Flexibility: Companies can set their priorities within risk modules.

• The Fair Work Monitor gives companies insight into conditions in the garment industry
  
• Trade union freedom is an important condition for fair work
  
• HRDD and the role of trade unions
  
• Multi-company collective agreements