RSN Announces the First Cohort of YESS Members to Implement Due Diligence in the Middle of the Supply Chain

YESS: Yarn Ethically & Sustainably Sourced starts building its global due diligence community

BERKELEY, CA—November 13, 2024— Responsible Sourcing Network (RSN) is excited to announce the launch of its first cohort of multi-stakeholder members for YESS: Yarn Ethically & Sustainably Sourced. This follows last year’s transition of YESS to a membership model aimed at enhancing accountability and transparency in the textile supply chain.

The first cohort of brand members includes industry leaders such as adidas, Fanatics Apparel, INDITEX, The Walt Disney Company, and Walmart Inc. Through membership in YESS, some companies have just begun engaging mills, and other companies are deepening their relationships. The spinning and fabric mills receive specialized training and participate in YESS assessments aimed at strengthening due diligence operations and sustainable sourcing practices.

The need for such initiatives is underscored by recent developments in regulatory frameworks, such as the CSDDD (Corp Sustainability Due Diligence Directive). This significant legislation highlights the urgent need for companies to strengthen their due diligence processes throughout the multiple tiers of their supply chains all the way to farms and mines to protect human rights and the environment.

“Collaborating to address systemic risks is paramount for ensuring the well-being of workers up and down the value chain,” said Kristen Albertson, Vice President, Responsible Sourcing for Walmart. “YESS will help us work together to increase transparency, build capabilities, and manage risks in the yarn supply chain, and we are proud to be part of the first cohort of brands.”

Participating spinning and fabric mills are also becoming YESS members, granting them access to essential training and resources while contributing to the ongoing evolution of the YESS program. Initial Pakistani and Indian mill members include Nishat Mills, Raymond Denim, Shahi Exports, and Sree Santhosh Garments, with more mills onboarding every month.

Mill members are listed on the public YESS Participating Mills list, with details of their participation status and YESS Assessment Summary Reports accessible only to YESS members.

In addition to brands and mills, other vital members of YESS include civil society organizations (CSOs), academics, and industry associations. Notable members include U.S. Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) and Verité. RSN expects to engage more CSO members as risk mitigation efforts are implemented and the YESS Participating Mills list is referenced by other sustainability initiatives.

Julia Hughes, president of USFIA and YESS Advisory Committee member said “We are excited to see the growth of this industry-wide approach to due diligence. Companies, consumers and government regulators require accountability at every step along the cotton value chain and the YESS approach to due diligence fills a missing piece. By training mills to manage their risk and increase transparency through to the raw cotton level, mills and brands are able to demonstrate that they are driving forced labor out of cotton production, in alignment with due diligence and forced labor laws in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and elsewhere.”

Maximizing an e-learning platform and utilizing international auditing service providers will allow YESS to scale. Auditor management company Sumerra will oversee YESS assessments in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Vietnam conducted by third-party auditors ARCHE Advisors, ASSESS International, and TÜV Rheinland. YESS assessments will be available in additional countries as the demand grows.

By integrating diverse perspectives, YESS aims to implement best practices and effectively address the root causes of forced labor involved in cotton production, working toward a harmonized and impactful due diligence system for the entire industry.