Dear Partnership Members, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The textile and garment industry is operating in an environment that has been changing rapidly in the past year, too. It is becoming increasingly clear that COVID-19 was and is a major trend accelerator. Another key element of this environment is the regulatory framework, which has been significantly changed by the passing of the German Act on Corporate Due Diligence Obligations in Supply Chains. And of course, we all followed the Bundestag election with great excitement.

Soon after the government was formed, both the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) under the new leadership of Federal Minister Svenja Schulze as well as the other ministries represented in the Steering Committee, Environment (BMUV) and Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS), made it clear that they continue to consider the multi-stakeholder approach to implementing due diligence embodied by the Textiles Partnership as an important element for change and therefore want to continue to promote it in the coming years. This is both good news and an incentive for the Partnership and its members.

With this in mind, I would like to highlight three points from the Partnership’s diverse work over the past year:

The new Review Process was both a great challenge and an opportunity for our members and the Partnership Secretariat. A challenge in regard to the effort involved. And an opportunity, because for the first time the members were able to consistently apply the due diligence logic and anchor it in their sustainability management. The reports published on the PST website show that the Partnership companies have basically internalised and implemented the due diligence approach. However, they also show existing gaps and opportunities for improvement in the implementation of their individual responsibility.

In the Textiles Partnership, we have been aware of the great importance and leverage effect of responsible business and purchasing practices not only since COVID-19. With the annual topic we highlighted purchasing in 2021. To this end, we have joined forces with other multi-stakeholder initiatives to develop the “Common Framework for Responsible Purchasing Practices”. This is intended to serve as a reference document for assessing and improving purchasing practices in the future.

There is also a lot of movement in our Partnership Initiatives (PI): In May, the PI on complaints mechanisms was launched with a cooperation project with the Fair Wear Foundation and the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile. The aim is to provide workers in Vietnam and India with better access to grievance mechanisms and remedy. In the course of the year, we were able to expand our engagement in this central element of the due diligence approach with cooperation projects in Pakistan and Turkey. In addition, we prepared a PI to promote the availability of sustainable and organic cotton, for which a pilot project is already being implemented. We continued the PI on wastewater and launched the second project phase of the PI in Tamil Nadu and on living wages.

On the basis of this solid work programme, the differentiated feedback from the members on the Review Process and against the background of the changing environment, the Steering Committee has initiated the discussion on the future direction of the PST. A number of further developments are emerging which, among other things, aim for even better international coherence of the Partnership’s activities, attach significantly greater importance to our collective engagement, enable a stronger focus on specific, central sector risks and processes, and take into account the evolving legal framework of human rights and environmental due diligence obligations. Decisions on this are due in the second half of 2022.

Now and in the future, the membership in the Textiles Partnership demands effort. We are convinced and are working to ensure that this effort is worth it, that it improves working and environmental conditions in the industry and especially in the production countries, and that you as a member can also better achieve your own sustainability goals. Therefore, use your membership in the PST as an opportunity to tackle challenges individually and together and thus gradually achieve fair working conditions and production within planetary boundaries.

In this annual report, you will find detailed information on all the topics and projects that I have only been able to touch on here and on many more. We wish you a pleasant read and look forward to continuing our trustful cooperation in the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles.

For the Partnership Secretariat

Jürgen Janssen