Textile Transparency Toolbox Industry Outreach Forum (March 2022)

Providing the Fashion industry with the tools to progress towards more transparent supply chains

On the 11^th of March 2022, Manchester Fashion Institute at Manchester Metropolitan University, in collaboration with the UNECE Team that has created the Textiles Transparency Toolbox, held an industry outreach forum. Already implemented in 18 countries, the Toolbox aims to enhance transparency for value chains in the garment and footwear sectors. This one-day outreach workshop and industry roundtable is the first in a series of events that aims to provide fashion industry stakeholders with the tools they need to drive action on transparency approaches on a national, regional and global scale.

This project aims to provide an opportunity for industry stakeholders to gain access to affordable and tested technologies and tools they need to advance progress towards more transparent supply chains. After years of research and countless contributions from over 250 industry partners, the UNECE has developed a Toolbox to guide fashion industry stakeholders with their supply chain transparency goals – including an affordable blockchain enabled platform. Consequently, the Manchester Fashion Institute at Manchester Metropolitan University, the UK’s number one sustainable university, in collaboration with the UNECE Transparency Team hosted this initial one-day outreach event to present this much needed innovation. Attendees learnt about the UN-brokered policy recommendations, implementation guidelines, an information exchange standard and call to action, known as ‘The Sustainability Pledge’, adopted at the 27th UN/CEFACT Plenary in April 2021 and how they can be applied in a real-world context, particularly in the light of Extended User Responsibility (EPR) legislation. Pioneers and experts from the UNECE Team presented the Toolbox and discussed opportunities for brands to take part in free pilot blockchain studies as well as the possibility of affordable, full implementation. The presentations were followed by a Roundtable discussion for fashion brands regarding the challenges and opportunities of their current transparency actions.

Participants included local and regional fashion and textiles industry suppliers, manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, waste managers and industry bodies.

Outputs

• Forum programme and report
• Video recording of event
• Digitalising Textile Supply Chain Transparency: Research and Knowledge Exchange