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Sustainable, ethical yarn maker list published to ease CSDDD transition

Non-profit for-benefit organisation aimed at ending labour abuses, Responsible Sourcing Network (RSN), has published a publicly-available list of yarn and fabric suppliers that are participating in its due diligence initiative, YESS: Yarn Ethically & Sustainably Sourced, which it says will help companies navigate the complex demands of the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).

Spinning and fabric mills are assessed by third-party auditors on their management systems and inventory controls to mitigate the risk of forced labour in their cotton supply chains against the YESS Standards.

As a multi-stakeholder initiative YESS can assist brands in coordinating their requirements to identify and address harm in the upstream tiers of their supply chains. YESS trains yarn and textile manufacturers to understand and implement risk-based due diligence activities.

RSN’s director of program development and coordinator of YESS, Michael Baldino-Kelly, said “We’re excited to make the list public and specifically to highlight the hard work of the first movers - mills that have started out on incorporating due diligence work into their supply chains. It takes time and effort to implement these processes, so I want to commend them on their hard work and foresight.”

While the list of YESS Participating Mills is publicly available, the status and details of their assessment results and other related data points will only be available via the YESS Portal to YESS members. Membership is open to diverse stakeholders including community groups, CSOs, academics, industry associations, service providers, spinning and fabric mills, brands and retailers.

RSN has ambitious plans to grow the list of YESS participating mills globally. To accomplish this, it has partnered with audit management company Sumerra. Sumerra currently manages audits and verifications around the world for initiatives such as the Social/Labor Convergence Program (SLCP), Cascale, and the Ethical Supplier Engagement Program (ESEP).

“Sumerra is honoured to partner with RSN on the implementation and expansion of the YESS Program,” said Sumerra CEO Jason Roberts. “To support the global trend toward a due diligence approach, we are committed to training auditors and managing a programme that will drive positive impact up the supply chain. Furthermore, we can leverage existing infrastructure and relationships to efficiently scale YESS.”

RSN CEO and creator of YESS Patricia Jurewicz said: “This is the tip of the iceberg. With the help of Sumerra, we can create a standardised and global approach to addressing forced labour throughout cotton supply chains. By having a public list of the mills proactively preventing and mitigating harm, brands can support their efforts and drive demand for cotton that is harvested responsibly.”