Code of Conduct for the German Textile and Fashion Industry
Preamble
Companies in the German textile and fashion industry are committed to their social responsibility, regardless of whether they operate in Germany, Europe, or other parts of the world. Driven by a sense of responsibility for the social, environmental, and economic shaping of the entire textile value chain, they face the challenges of an increasingly interconnected and global economy. To support companies in this endeavor, the General Association of the German Textile and Fashion Industry and its member associations have developed this Code of Conduct.
The associations recommend the application of this Code of Conduct. It is available to all companies in the industry as a voluntary tool and serves as a guideline for socially responsible business conduct. In its function, the Code focuses on identifying areas of responsibility in business conduct and offering a framework of reference against which companies can individually align their corporate policies. For its implementation within global value chains, the Code contains practical basic rules that small and medium-sized enterprises, in particular, with their diverse business models and capacities, can adhere to.
The Code of Conduct is based on internationally recognized principles for the protection
of human and labor rights, as expressed in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the ILO’s core labor standards, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. Furthermore, the Code is based on relevant international agreements for the protection of the environment.
These international agreements are generally binding on states—not companies; their enforcement is a state responsibility. Companies in the textile and fashion industry support the goal of enforcing human rights, labor, social, and environmental standards in economic value chains. By aligning their business operations with the principles set forth in these international agreements, companies can contribute to this effort. They do so with the understanding that this is a long-term process, the success of which requires constructive and pragmatic cooperation among government institutions, societal actors, and companies.
The reference to international agreements in this text is to be understood as meaning that companies should align themselves with the content of these agreements to the extent possible for private-sector organizations.