Events surrounding the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and climate issues attracted particular interest in 2022. The most heavily attended event – with around 250 participants – was the webinar on Reporting Obligations under the German Supply Chain Act, organised in collaboration with amfori in December. In addition, many members took advantage of the events at the working and members´ meeting. For example, around 80 people followed the input of Torsten Safarik, President of the German Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA), on implementing the Supply Chain Act, and the panel on ‘Mitigating climate risks in the textile and garment industry: How to achieve the 2030 goals of the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action.’ Between 60 and 80 participants took part in the three webinars on calculating and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and on findings and lessons learned from fibre-specific life cycle analyses.

Topic-specific working groups

In addition, there were 44 meetings – mostly virtual – of the various project groups, expert groups and strategy committees. In these groups, members collaborate on circular economy, climate change mitigation, wastewater, forced labour, living wages, man-made fibres, natural fibres, grievance mechanisms and gender-based violence. The groups put an emphasis on exchange and peer learning.

Here are a few examples: in a webinar on LGBTIQ+, Hugo Boss presented its Diversity and Inclusion Strategy to the expert group on gender-based violence. A peer learning group set up by the expert group on the circular economy addressed sustainable packaging and alternative business models. And in the expert group on forced labour, human rights violations in various countries and regulatory trends at the US and European level continued to dominate discussions in 2022.

ISPO Munich

The Textiles Partnership participated in the Sustainability Hub as part of ISPO, the international sports and outdoor trade fair, held in Munich from 28-30 November. In addition to the Textiles Partnership, 44 other brands, service providers and organisations had a presence, including Textile Exchange and the Fair Wear Foundation, VAUDE and Sympatex. Around 60 visitors took part in a guided tour of the Sustainability Hub on each of the three days of the trade fair.