There are a large number of certifications, accreditations, voluntary standards, and model codes of conduct (ie standards systems) that seek to address issues relevant to the fashion industry. The scope, ambition, and compliance mechanisms vary between standards systems, with different requirements for transparency, auditing, and other assurance methods.
At the same time, Good On You is aware that brands suffer from reporting burden and fatigue due to the large number of stakeholders and initiatives in sustainability. Where possible, Good On You incorporates leading standards, indices, and certification systems into our methodology provided:
They are robust and credible.
They require publicly available information.
In consultation with experts, Good On You reviews each of the standards systems to identify their scope and assurance methodology in order to assess how to score a brand that is certified by, or complies with, a standards system. Certifications may have a broad impact on several issues. Learn more here.
Vetted and respected certifications and standards systems represent only a portion of the data Good On You’s rating methodology considers. Good On You’s rating system [PDF] looks at all other publicly available evidence of impact on issues that affect people, the planet, and animals—including what brands report on their websites, their stakeholders updates, sustainability reports, and so on.
Certifications and standards Good On You considers
We reference the following certifications, accreditations, standards, initiatives and guidelines when rating brands:
1% for the Planet
Action on Living Wages (ACT)
Asia Floor Wage Alliance
Be Slavery Free initiative
Better Cotton Initiative
Bluesign System
Business for Social Responsibility (BSR)
Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI)
Carbon Trust Standard
Cascale (formerly Sustainable Apparel Coalition)
CITES listed species
Centre for Circular Design
Certified Cotton made in Africa
Child Labour Free
Clean Clothes Campaign
Common Objective
Cradle to Cradle
CEO Water Mandate
Downpass
Ethical Clothing Australia (ECA)
Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI)
EU Ecolabel
European Clothing Action Plan
Fair Labor Association (FLA)
Fair Trade USA
Fair Wear Foundation
Fairtrade International - Hired Labour
Fairtrade International - Small Producers Organizations
Fairtrade Textile Standard
Fashion for Good
Fashion Pact
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
Fur Free Retailer
Global Fashion Agenda Commitment
Global Living Wage coalition
Global Recycle Standard
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Guidelines
Global Social Compliance Program (GSCP)
Gobi Cashmere
Good Cashmere Standard
GOTS
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry
International Labour Organization (ILO)
Leather Working Group
Leather Working Group Animal Welfare Group
Made in Green by OEKO-TEX ® certified
Microfibre Consortium
NATIVA
New Merino
Ocean Clean Wash
Open Supply Hub (formerly Open Apparel Registry)
Outdoor Industry Association’s Microfiber Taskforce
PETA
Partnership for Sustainable Textiles (PST)
REACH Restricted Substances List (RSL)
Recycled Claim Standard (RCS)
Responsible Alpaca Standard (RAS)
Responsible Down Standard (RDS)
Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC)
Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS)
Responsible Wool Standard (RWS)
RISE (formerly BSR HERproject)
RWS International Working Group
Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit - SMETA Best Practice Guidance
Social Accountability International - SA8000
STeP by OEKO-TEX ® certified
Sustainable Fibre Alliance Cashmere (SFA Cashmere)
Textile Exchange Member
Textile Exchange Responsible Leather Round Table
Textiles 2030
Transparency Pledge and/or Open Data Standard for Apparel
Turkmen Cotton Pledge
UN Fashion Industry Charter on Climate Action
WBCSD Global Water Tool
WFTO Guarantee System
Worn Again
World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO)
Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production - WRAP
WRI Aqueduct
WWF Water Risk Filter
ZDHC Roadmap to Zero
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