Last week, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) hosted the 2025 Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector. In case you were not in Paris, here are some of the highlights. During the Forum, the OECD released two papers and also held a series of side sessions for the public. In this FIA, we share analysis of the papers and a link to one of the side sessions that discusses engagement with Gen Z.
The OECD released a Business and Finance policy paper, The role of sustainability certifications in due diligence in the garment and footwear sector. The OECD examines the rise in sustainability certifications in the garment and footwear sector from 2018 to 2023 and also provides detailed information about the types of certifications. According to the OECD, the number of facilities certified under the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) increased by 154% and the number of facilities certified under the Oeko-Tex Sustainable Textile and Leather Production (SteP) increased by 242%. While the proportion of certified fibers and materials make up a small percentage of the materials currently available in the market, the OECD company survey finds that 81% of brands and retailers now require sustainability certifications from their suppliers.
The policy paper places these sustainability certifications into three main categories, examines how they are currently being used by brands and retailers, and includes considerations for both companies and policymakers.
Especially interesting is the table that reviews the types of sustainability certifications, the purpose of the certification, and what organizations offer each certification.
The OECD also released a new report Measuring the uptake and impact of due diligence for responsible supply chains. The technical report explains how the OECD’s new monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework can help researchers and businesses show the positive results of adopting the OECD’s Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector. The framework is intended to help businesses “better understand the effectiveness of their due diligence” by suggesting the types of information that could be of interest and the possible research designs that businesses could use to leverage their data. Be sure to take a look at Table 2, which provides examples of sources to measure due diligence.
One of the key side sessions was organized and moderated by Dr. Sheng Lu, Professor in the University of Delaware’s Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies. Due Diligence Education for Gen Z: Preparing Future Fashion Leaders for Sustainable and Socially Responsible Apparel Sourcing features key industry leaders: Laurie Rando, Senior Director of Sustainable Product and Human Rights, Macy’s; Megan Dawson-Elli, Manager of Product Sustainability, Tapestry; Matthias Knappe, Head of Fibres, Textiles and Clothing Unit, International Trade Centre; Emilie Delaye, Master’s Student, Fashion and Apparel Studies, University of Delaware; and USFIA President Julia Hughes.
The goal for this discussion is to highlight the role that Gen Z plays today as consumers and will play as future industry leaders. We talk about how college and university programs can equip Gen Z with the information about due diligence, sustainable sourcing, and supply chain transparency that will help shape the future of responsible apparel sourcing. And there is an inspiring discussion about the importance of industry-academic partnerships.