Fashion and Textiles

Insight

Social compliance audits as a risk assessment tool

As reported in the Guardian, Human Rights Watch and multiple other reports in the past decade, the widespread use of social audits alone in the Fashion sector cannot address potential and actual adverse impacts, remediate abuses, or mitigat...

Insight

Kumi Newsletter April 2024

This is the first of our new monthly newsletters from Kumi, in which we will share our insights on the latest responsible business developments in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, energy, fashion and textiles, investing, mining a...

Insight

Practical ESG presents: An Update on Human Rights Due Diligence Auditing and Technology

Andrew Britton, Kumi’s CEO, was invited by PracticalESG to give a podcast discussing developments in Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD). The focus on human rights issues and expectations for supply chain due diligence have changed signific...

Insight

Addressing forced labour risks in fashion supply chains

The latest KnowTheChain report highlights an increase in forced labour risks in garment and footwear supply chains. Economic challenges, including poverty and income inequality are creating fertile ground for exploitation as individuals des...

Insight

Building effective grievance mechanisms: ten things to consider

The ability for an individual or group to report that they have been harmed by a company’s activities or relationships is a fundamental requirement in any responsible business. And yet, according to the International Labour Organisation (...

Insight

Dashboards and data: selecting the right tools for supply chain due diligence

For many businesses, the proposed European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Direct (CS3D) looks daunting. With legislation like the German Supply Chain Act (LkSG) already requiring companies to map and identify risks from al...

Insight

Responsible Sourcing Programmes: overcoming common challenges

As the regulatory landscape for due diligence grows, we are seeing an increase in companies developing Responsible Sourcing Programmes. James Lewry (Director) and Timothy Perkin (Senior Consultant) summarise some common challenges that we s...

Insight

Responsible Sourcing Diagnostic

In 2019, Kumi developed the Responsible Sourcing Diagnostic to: The Diagnostic gave companies a clear view of the gaps in their existing processes and the action needed to develop strong responsible sourcing programmes. Since then, our appr...

Multiple European flags in front of a building

Insight

CS3D – are you ready?

Within the next two years, the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) will become law in the EU. If our experience at Kumi shows anything, it’s that most companies do not currently comply with expectations. When the l...

European Union flag with blue cloudy sky background

Insight

Reflections from the RBA European conference

The Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) held its annual European conference in Brussels on 23-24 May 2023. Our Senior Consultant, Jean-Baptiste Collovray, shares his insights from his time there. Many discussions at the event revolved aroun...

Coloured t-shirts on hangers, hung up on a rail

Insight

Reflections from the OECD Garment Forum: fashion needs to learn from the minerals sector

Our Manager, Luke Smitham, reflects on the garment sector after attending the OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector in February 2023.

Hessian fabric sack hung over a wall, reflecting consideration of human rights conditions in Gulf supply chains

Insight

After Qatar 2022: strengthening human rights due diligence

Guidance for procurement and sustainability teams on human rights due diligence in Gulf supply chains and migrant worker risk management.