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ΕλληνικάTraceability
Professor Marina Romana Rinaldi, in her book “Fashion Industry 2030. Reshaping the future through Sustainability and responsible innovation”, provides us a clear definition of what it is traceability: « Traceability is understood as the ability to trace the history, application or location of an object’ in a supply chain. In this context, it is defined as the ability to identify and trace the history, distribution, location and application of products, parts and materials, to ensure the reliability of sustainability claims, in the areas of human rights, labor (including health and safety), the environment and anti-corruption and ‘the process by which enterprises track materials and products and the conditions in which they were produced through the supply chain. »[1]
Traceability transmits data about the various components of a product, as well as information about its processes all along the value chain. It ensures the accuracy of information such as quality, compliance with regulatory standards and the respect of social and environmental best practices. In particular, it helps labels and participants in the supply chain to know when and to whom orders are outsourced or subcontracted and can be used to monitor the movement of orders across the various geographical regions.
Although legislation, particularly in Europe with the due care requirement, encourages companies to find out more about the origins of their materials and show the conditions under which they are made, traceability remains a voluntary action, and is currently unregulated and this often results in marketing actions rather than substance.
In the absence of information, none of us know what is happening and what is damaging our planet and people, and what could be done to limit this.
Monitoring the supply chain makes it possible to verify the compliance of each stage of production with national and international regulations; it helps identify opportunities for efficient and sustainable management of resources, as well as risks for health, the environment and labor rights; it makes it possible to improve the reliability and reputation as a brand; to take more responsible decisions regarding the partners with whom to collaborate; to manage all suppliers efficiently and to optimize costs and risks related to fragmentation and dislocation.
Even if a brand does not manage all the steps in the production of its products directly itself, it is anyway involved in them and has to take a responsibility in how they take place.
A brand that decides to relocate production to countries that are not regulated by minimum standards to protect the environment and workers, should compensate for any regulatory shortcomings, and take personal responsibility for sustainability along the supply chain, imposing rules on its suppliers and making sure they are respected.
[1] Francesca Romana Rinaldi, Fashion Industry 20230, Reshaping the future through sustainability and responsible innovation, p.68