SupplyShift partners with Responsible Sourcing Network, launches tool to screen for forced labor risk in cotton supply chains

(Contributed)

April 6, 2021 — Santa Cruz, CA

SupplyShift announces that their platform will host the YESS: Yarn Ethically & Sustainably Sourced Cotton Sourcing Risk Screen, a tool built in collaboration with Responsible Sourcing Network (RSN) to help businesses identify forced labor risk in global cotton supply chains.

The YESS Cotton Sourcing Risk Screen is an online tool by SupplyShift that maps supply chains to help identify the origin and certification status of cotton inputs. Using those identifiers, the tool instantly assigns a forced labor risk exposure score to assist companies in taking additional steps to address labor abuses in cotton production. The tool flags high risk textile mills and spinners who may then be prioritized to participate in YESS online training and an onsite assessment. The YESS Standards created by Responsible Sourcing Network and based on OECD due diligence guidance, are designed to identify, address, and avoid cotton sources that involve forced labor.

Responsible Sourcing Network builds responsible supply chain coalitions of diverse stakeholders to address the most pressing ethical sourcing challenges of our time. YESS is RSN’s latest initiative focused on the textile and apparel sector.

“We’re excited to be working with SupplyShift on this tool that supports the YESS initiative,” said Patricia Jurewicz, Founder and CEO of Responsible Sourcing Network. “SupplyShift is a powerful platform for mapping textile mills and yarn spinners, and we’re confident it will help provide insights for brands and retailers to better understand the risks in their cotton supply chains.”

SupplyShift is the supply chain sustainability platform for creating more transparent, lower risk, higher-performing supply chains. The YESS Cotton Sourcing Risk Screen is one of the latest additions to its Standard Assessment library, a collection of online, collaboratively-built assessments that help companies gain insight across a variety of hot-button supply chain issues.

“YESS has become the leading standard for addressing forced labor in cotton sourcing, and we’re thrilled to be working together with RSN,” said Jamie Barsimantov, co-founder and COO of SupplyShift. “SupplyShift’s platform will streamline the process of supplier engagement to help companies assign auditing resources in the most effective way possible.”

The YESS Cotton Sourcing Risk Screen is available now. To learn more about the program, visit the SupplyShift website.

To learn more about the YESS Initiative, visit Responsible Sourcing Network.

To join the conversation, register for the Forced Labor in Cotton Supply Chains webinar taking place on April 21st at 7:30am PDT. Featuring representatives from Fashion For Good, Responsible Sourcing Network, and SupplyShift, this webinar will discuss the role of supply chain engagement and industry-wide tools in identifying and mitigating risks of forced labor in the supply chain. 

###

Tagged SupplyShift