ZDHC's second Impact Report details sustainability progress over 2020

ZDHC, a Dutch multi-stakeholder initiative for fashion industry, has released its second Impact Report detailing the implementation progress and present recent developments within ZDHC and the industry at large along with the road ahead. It also calls for collaborative action and commitment to safer chemistry to supply chain partners in the report.

Sharing the progress of the three ZDHC Leader Programmes; Brands to Zero, Supplier to Zero and the forthcoming leader programme for chemical suppliers, the report said: “The 2020 assessment confirms around 80 per cent of brands have specified their implementation plans leveraging ZDHC tools, and the majority set key performance indicators (KPIs) for their procurement-related teams. Furthermore, we found that our Brands’ commitment to safer chemistry is embraced throughout their corporate cultures, and they actively monitor goals and results.

“Since launch of Supplier to Zero, brands are increasingly monitoring the implementation of ZDHC guidelines throughout their supply chain – 70 per cent of brands require their suppliers to adopt the Wastewater Guidelines. Additionally, the adoption rate of the ZDHC Gateway and its tools by ZDHC contributors across the supply chain is increasing.”

“Due to launch at the end of 2021, our third leader programme is specifically aimed at chemical suppliers. The programme will enable the holistic evaluation of chemical formulations for sustainability attributes for manufacturers and brands to make informed choices that lead to using more sustainable chemistries,” the report said.

ZDHC has welcomed the growing awareness in environmental sustainability within the global community of brands, customers and policy makers and progress in the regulatory environment for chemical sustainability such as the new EU legislation on due-diligence and governance in supply chains.

The organisation has also reported on its evolution into a multi-stakeholder organisation; bringing together businesses, civil society, governments, research institutions and non-government organisations to cooperate in the joint engagement and implementation efforts of the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme.

ZDHC has witnessed deepening engagement and continuing growth in numbers of committed organisations joining the ZDHC community across all major stakeholder categories; brands, suppliers and chemical suppliers.

“Despite the progress we have made, ‘our job is far from done’ remains our guiding mantra at ZDHC,” the organisation said.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)