Responsible Wool Standard Promotes Sustainable Land Stewardship and Humane Sheep Treatment
SCS Global Services Licensed by Textile Exchange as Third-Party Certifier to Standard
Leading third-party certifier SCS Global Services (SCS) has been approved by Textile Exchange as a licensed certification body for the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS). In this role, SCS is now authorized to conduct independent certification assessments of wool production under the “Farm Scope” of the standard. Moreover, SCS is currently in the licensing process for the “Processing Scope” of the standard, and will soon be able to offer RWS services all the way from the farm through the final manufacturer.
Textile Exchange is a multi-stakeholder industry group whose members are located in eight countries and represent all stages of the textile value cycle. The Responsible Wool Standard was developed with broad stakeholder input, including farmers, animal welfare groups and apparel brands. It provides the textile industry with a tool to ensure that wool comes from farms with sustainable land management practices, and from sheep that have been treated responsibly. The final standard was released in June 2016 after two years of development and pilot audits conducted worldwide.
“We are pleased to be an approved licensed certification body and to be able to participate in this landmark sustainability initiative,” said Nicole Muñoz, SCS Managing Director. “SCS has a long track record of experience in environmental sustainability certification. We are excited to bring this expertise to the table to further the efforts of this collaboration and partnership with farmers, manufacturers, brands and retailers.”
SCS provides third-party certification under a variety of internationally sustainable agriculture labels, including SCS Sustainably Grown, Veriflora®, Better Cotton Initiative, Fair Trade USA, the Equitable Farm Initiative’s “Responsibly Grown / Farmworker Assured”, the Roundtable for Sustainable Biomaterials, and more. In addition, it provides independent auditing oversight for the sustainability supply chain programs of several international consumer brands. Its worldwide network of auditors perform assessments for large, medium, and small farms, as well as farm groups.
About SCS Global Services
SCS Global Services (SCS) has been providing global leadership in third-party environmental and sustainability certification, auditing, testing, and standards development for more than three decades. Its programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in apparel, green building, food and agriculture, natural resource extraction, and much more. SCS is a California benefit corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices, and was the 2016 recipient of the Acterra Business Environmental Award for Sustainability.
About the Textile Exchange
Textile Exchange is a global nonprofit organization that works to make the textile industry more sustainable. We work with everyone involved in making your textiles, including everything from clothes to sheets to towels and more. Together, we’re trying to help the textile world make better decisions so that we’re not only reducing harm to the environment but also bringing about positive change.
About the Responsible Wool Standard
The Responsible Wool Standard is an independent, voluntary standard. On farms, the certification ensures that sheep are treated with respect to their Five Freedoms and also ensures best practices in the management and protection of the land. Through the processing stages, certification ensures that wool from certified farms is properly identified and tracked.