How we work

Global Standards gGmbH develops, implements and promotes Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) for the textile sector. Our work is overseen by the Global Standards Foundation, ensuring independent governance and the long-term integrity of our standards. Our organisation maintains a flat structure, minimises administrative costs, is self-financed and uses any inflow to reach our vision and mission. 

In developing our VSS, we set strict – and binding – requirements regarding ecological, human rights, social and business conduct including governance criteria. These criteria shall be implemented through due diligence processes. In doing so, we consider the need for standards that are practical for industrial production and appropriate for a wide range of products. We define sustainable textiles as containing a substantial minimum content of sustainable fibres, being processed with the least possible environmental impact, under strict controls on natural and synthetic chemical inputs.

Our VSS are dynamic; we foster constant progress towards the development of better textile processing methods. In this process of continuous improvement, we collaborate with international stakeholders, including the textile and apparel industry, chemical suppliers, sustainable fibre production and environmental organisations, regulators, workers' rights groups, and labour unions. We believe that VSSs, set in partnership with international stakeholder communities, ensure widespread global acceptance.

Through our Monitoring and Evaluation system we systematically assess and demonstrate our standards’ effectiveness in achieving intended sustainability outcomes.

In contrast to mere national laws, our standards provide a consistent and global framework and help to overcome barriers to international trade. Likewise, they facilitate their users’ compliance with legal requirements and even empower them to prove their ability to exceed those.

The implementation of our VSS reconciles the need of the textile industry with consumers' desire for transparency. The increasing worldwide recognition and acceptance of our VSS confirm that these needs are being met.

We continue to work to ensure that our global standards satisfy the expectations of all stakeholders.

A standard is only as effective as it is credible. In addition to trust, verification is crucial for building credibility. We entrust verification only to selected professional and independent certification bodies. These certification bodies regularly audit all parties involved in the manufacturing of textiles certified to our VSS through comprehensive on-site inspections to verify that all standard requirements are met.

To further protect the credibility of our VSS, we investigate and impose sanctions whenever there is evidence of misleading use of our labels, references to certification and fraud

Our standards provide a consistent global framework that helps businesses navigate regulatory requirements, overcome barriers to international trade and implement responsible practices along their supply-chain, while offering consumers credible assurance. Through our international network of global representatives, we expand our impact and contribute to sustainable development in the industry worldwide.

Our organisation minimises administrative costs. As a registered non-profit, our programmes are self-financed. All income is used to reach our vision and mission.

The aim of our VSS is to define world-wide recognised requirements from the harvesting of the raw fibre, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing up to labelling in order to provide credible assurance to the end consumer. Textile processors and manufacturers are thus enabled to export their fabrics and garments with certification accepted in all major markets.