Garment and Textile: Towards a standardised supplier assessment framework

Supplier assessments are an important component of human rights, labour and environmental due diligence; however, assessment fatigue is a known challenge in the garment and footwear sector. The duplication of on-site assessments creates an additional burden on suppliers without necessarily increasing the quality of information collected. Supplier assessments should provide information that helps an enterprise act—to prevent and mitigate harm in its supply chain—and should not take the place of on-going monitoring in collaboration with stakeholders. 

Within this context, the OECD encourages the development of harmonised supplier assessments that lead to recognition across the industry, provided they align with international standards—including the OECD Guidance—and facilitate qualitative data gleaned from engagement with workers alongside other indicators. Launched in 2015, the Social and Labor Convergence Project seeks to develop a simple, unified and effective industry-wide assessment framework that enhances transparency while dramatically reducing the number of social and labour assessments in the industry. The OECD contributes to this project by providing input on the strategic direction of the project, and to support its alignment with the OECD Guidance.‎ 

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OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector