The garment and footwear sector is one of the largest consumer goods sectors in the world. Although it represents an important economic driving force, the tragic collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in 2013 brought global attention to the risks of severe adverse impacts both in manufacturing but also further upstream.

Adopted in 2017, the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector establishes a common understanding of due diligence in the sector to help companies meet the due diligence expectations laid out in the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

The Guidance, which was developed through a multi-stakeholder process, was approved by all governments adhering to the OECD Guidelines and endorsed by business, trade unions and civil society. It is a direct response to the G7 Leaders’ Declaration on 7-8 June 2015 in Schloss Elmau which welcomed international efforts to promulgate industry-wide due diligence standards in the textile and ready-made garment sector. The Guidance is applicable to all companies – large and small – operating in global garment and footwear supply chains.

The annual event convenes over 500 representatives from government, business, workers and civil society to discuss key issues and risks related to due diligence in global garment and footwear supply chains. 

The OECD has launched a process to assess the alignment of multi-stakeholder and industry initiatives with the detailed recommendations of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector.

This process, called the OECD Alignment Assessment process, is voluntary and two assessments have been conducted to date.

Access the alignment assessments

ASN Bank, Living Wage in Garments report, 2019

How OECD’s new due diligence instrument can transform the global garment industry, 2017

Towards a standardised supplier assessment framework

Netherlands stakeholders reach Agreement on Sustainable Garment and Textile, 2016

Rethinking due diligence practices in the apparel supply chain, 2015

After Rana Plaza: Spotlight on responsible business conduct, OECD Observer, 2014

One Year after Rana Plaza, 2014

We invite agents, brands, licensees, manufacturers, retailers, and wholesalers to answer the survey by the 30th of April.

As part of the implementation strategy for the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector, the OECD is conducting a series of surveys that target SMEs operating within the sector. The goal is to collect data on sourcing practices in order to identify pragmatic approaches to implementing due diligence that are tailored to their size, resources, nature of business, and sourcing models.

Take the survey

 (available in English, Spanish, French, Japanese, Italian, German, Portuguese, Polish, Arabic and Chinese

Contact

Dorothy.Lovell@oecd.org