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GoodWeave New Sectors Standard

Introduction

 Welcome to the consultation survey on GoodWeave's New Sectors Standard!

In 2017, GoodWeave began the development of a new Standard to bring its proven model and methodology into more sectors: apparel, home textiles, and fashion jewellery. Adapted from GoodWeave’s existing Generic International Standard for Rug Producers, a Standard was developed and has gone through two rounds of public consultation and revisions, allowing a meaningful engagement and input from more than 160 stakeholders, and following the provisions of the ISEAL Standard-Setting Code and the GoodWeave Standard Operating Procedures ensuring the highest degree of rigor and
transparency.

A third draft is now presented for a final round of consultation, before the Standard finalization and publication.
This step is important as the New Sector Standard format will progressively be applied to all GoodWeave standards, as GoodWeave expands its scope and harmonizes its approach for all sectors.

 
Your feedback is key on this work!
We value your input and encourage you to provide explanations and examples underlying your answers to the questions in this survey. Following the consultation period, we will prepare a paper compiling results and aggregate comments, which will be available on the GoodWeave website. All identifiable information we receive from respondents will however be kept confidential.

The consultation period will run from 4th December 2018 to 4th January 2019. Thanks for providing your input before this deadline.  If you have any questions regarding the draft Standard or the consultation process, please contact Shemina Amarsy at standards@goodweave.org



 
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We now invite you to first read the full text of the Standard! Click Here.

Standard Structure and Documentation

During the last consultation, stakeholders encouraged GoodWeave to clarify the scope of the Standard, broaden the scope of its requirements and develop additional guidance.

As a result of this input, the following structural changes and additional documentation were incorporated:

-      The Standard was reorganized into two sections:
      1. Principles and Requirements
      2. Scope, Claims, and Labelling  (for each product category)
-       Progress Principles were added
-       A Guidance Document was developed, to support the Standard
 
Do you have any comment on the Standard’s Structure and Format?

Certification Principles

GoodWeave New Sectors Standard is based on three key certification principles:

A1: No child labor is allowed

A2: No forced or bonded labor is allowed

A3: Conditions of work are documented and verifiable


Each Principle is supported by several requirements targeted to the different level of the supply chain: exporters, subcontractors, down to homeworkers. This supports compliance by addressing the specific circumstances at the different levels of production.

Based on the last consultation input, the following provisions were made to the Certification Principle:

-       Safeguards are added on inappropriate treatment and abuse
-       Written employment agreements are required (as opposed to verbal agreements)
-       License holders are asked to monitor potential human rights violations in the supply chain
-       Definitions are strengthened with references to international norms and conventions

Do you agree with the certification principles and their last amendments?
Progress Principles

During the last consultation, stakeholders suggested that the Standard address a few additional issues, which are related to working conditions and are complementary to the certification principles, therefore allowing continuous improvement.

As a result, and to align with its approach with the Standard on rugs, GoodWeave incorporated Progress Principles into the Standard on the following aspects:

-       Discrimination
-       Freedom of Association
-       Health and Safety
-       Working hours, Wages and Benefits
-       Environmental Impact

Each Principle is supported by several requirements targeted to a different level of the supply chain. GoodWeave is now examining options to create incentives towards the Progress Principles.

Do you have feedback or comments on the Progress Principles?
Scope, claim, and labelling

In response to partner feedback, the Standard now includes a section about the sectors’ scope, claims and, labelling requirements, which are tailored to the specific context of each product.

For the moment, GoodWeave only defined the scope for woven home textiles, but as GoodWeave works in additional new sectors, more documentation will be added on other sectors or product categories (‘non-woven’ home textiles, apparel, fashion jewellery).

Here are the main aspects described in this section on woven home textiles:
·  Products (bedspreads, furnishing fabrics, etc.)
·  Productions processes (weaving, knitting, stitching, etc.) 
·  Geographical scope of the Standard: India, Nepal, Afghanistan.
·  Requirements on labelling and claims, reflecting GoodWeave modular approach, covering production processes rather than products.

Do you agree with the section on scope, claim and labelling?

Guidance Document

We invite you to read the Guidance Document to the New Sectors Standard. Click Here. 

This document guides supply chain operators to meet Certification and Progress requirements of the Standard. It represents a benchmark of best practices, legal background (and national laws where relevant) and recommendations.

Do you have feedback and comments on the Guidance Document?
Final comments

Based on your input, the Standard will be refined before its publication, launch, and implementation.
Please include any additional feedback you may have on the New Sectors Standard. 

 

Thank you for your participation in this survey. Your feedback is very important to us!
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