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Why RDS? Slide 2 Development Process Governance Transparency Scale Quality Established Standard Slide 3 Development Process Open and Transparent The RDS is developed through an open and transparent process. Our policies and procedures are all based on ISEAL best practices, and you can read and comment on them at any time. Stakeholder Engagement We have a highly engaged stakeholder group that participates on regular calls to ensure that the standard is effective in terms of impact and reach. These include animal welfare groups, industry organizations, supply chain members, brands, and experts. Slide 4 Steering Committee Technical Group Advisory Group RDS International Working Group Slide 5 International Working Group (IWG ) Technical Group Actively engaged in research and writing. Technical Group Actively engaged in research and writing. Steering Committee Set goals and scope, guide development, participate in key decisions. Steering Committee Set goals and scope, guide development, participate in key decisions. Advisory Group Consulted on specific areas of experience and expertise. Advisory Group Consulted on specific areas of experience and expertise. Stakeholder Group Any persons or groups concerned with or directly affected by the standard. There will be active outreach to stakeholder to provide feedback on drafts and key developments. Stakeholder Group Any persons or groups concerned with or directly affected by the standard. There will be active outreach to stakeholder to provide feedback on drafts and key developments. Decision Making Authority Public Any person or group may view the standard drafts and meeting summaries on the TE website and submit comments. Public Any person or group may view the standard drafts and meeting summaries on the TE website and submit comments. TE Standard Development and Revision Participation Model Slide 6 Established Tested and Proven We dont rush through just to meet a deadline. We are committed to only releasing the standard or its update only when it is fully ready. For this reason we have invested in desk and field studies, pilot audits, research and outreach to auditors. Our working group invests considerable time to keep the process moving forward, so that we can keep a steady momentum. The RDS has been in active certification since February 2014, with an additional year of field visits and pilot audits before that. It is a tried-and-true standard that has worked through the many complexities of implementation Slide 7 2012 2013 2014 Standard complete PETA Campaign Audit & Certification Stakeholder Engagement TNF gifted the standard to TE Training & certification at farms, slaughter houses, etc. 2015 RDS 2.0 Stakeholder Review for V.2, feedback from audits Timeline Development of the standard with Control Union and Textiles Exchange Pilot audits Desk research Field visits Slide 8 Third Party Ownership The RDS is owned by Textile Exchange (TE), a highly respected independent third party with extensive experience in standards development and ownership. TE does not engage in any certification activities: all of its focus is on supporting the quality and adoption of its standards. TE developed the Content Claim Standard (CCS) which ensures the robust chain of custody that is at the heart of the RDS. TE has been in existence since 2002, and plays a powerful role within the Textile Industry to support the understanding and use of sustainable materials and proper verification strategies. Outreach and Marketing TE invests in outreach and marketing of the RDS, and is currently developing a separate website that will support consumers to see the value in choosing RDS-certified products. Support The staff at TE are very accessible, and always ready to provide support to brands or companies interested in the RDS.. Governance Slide 9 Certification Bodies Certified Company Accreditation Body 3 rd Party body accredits the Certification Body to ISO and Textile Exchange requirements to ensure that the CB is qualified and ethical. Standard TE develops, owns and administers the standard. TE does not do any certification activities, but does keep record of the certified companies, supplied by the certification bodies. Certified Products Information sharing The certification body has the only formal relationship with the certified company. They handle certification to the requirements of the TE standard. Accreditation Requirements How we work Slide 10 www.responsibledown.org Plus many additional certification tools and resources at TextileExchange.org www.TextileExchange.org/RDS Responsible Down Standard RDS Labeling Guide RDS in Hungarian RDS in Polish RDS in Chinese RDS in Ukranian Webinar: Introduction to RDS Brand Toolkit Supplier Toolkit Pre-audit questionnaire Consolidated feedback and response from RDS Stakeholder engagement Standard Development Participation Model Slide 11 The ISEAL Alliance is the global membership association for sustainability standards. Slide 12 Open Process The RDS is the result of an open and transparent process. All documents and meeting notes are available to anyone through our website or upon request. Clear Requirements The specific requirements of the RDS, how they are to be interpreted, and the way in which the auditing and certification process are carried out are all clearly detailed and visible. There are no hidden grey areas in the standard or the way it is to be applied. Logo use and labeling guidelines are clearly stated, to ensure consistent product claims. Transparency Slide 13 Standard Requirements REQUIREMENT: The exact description of what has to be met or what is prohibited. GUIDANCE: Additional information, such as: Specification on WHAT can be considered as compliant When can exceptions be made Reference to glossary (definitions) LEVEL: Critical Major Major Minor Recommendation PRINCIPLE 1: PROHIBITION OF FORCE-FEEDING Nr.REQUIREMENTGUIDANCELEVEL F1.1 There shall be no force-feeding of geese to be sold under certification at the farm. Force-feeding: Any form of feeding that forces the geese to eat more than it wants/needs. In particular, this refers to manual intervention using mechanical equipment (tubes) to increase the fat content of the liver for foie gras production. CRITICAL MAJOR F1.2The farm shall not source animals under certification which were force-fed and shall not outsource animals under certification for force-feeding. Outsourcing: in certain countries there are farms (also called stations) where geese are kept only for the period of force-feeding. During this period geese are not owned by the force-feeding facility rather they are there only for the process of force feeding. If certified geese get force-fed in any stage of their life, they automatically lose certification. Force-feeding of animals under certification may not happen on the farms, nor be outsourced to any other facility/location.) CRITICAL MAJOR Slide 14 Global From the beginning, the RDS has been designed for global use by the entire down and feather supply chain: from industrial farms to collector-based households, from Europe to Asia. It achieves a balance of rigor and practicality. Industry Change The goal of the RDS is to positively impact the down and feather industry to the greatest extent possible. Making the standard both meaningful and accessible leads to wide-scale adoption and the ability to influence many more supply chain members, and ultimately lead to the greatest change. Recognition The RDS has been picked up by over 30 recognized brands, with active interest by at least another dozen. We are getting daily calls or e-mails about beginning the RDS process. There has been extensive media coverage of the RDS; it is well recognized within the outdoor industry, and efforts are already underway to expand its use in the bedding, home, and hospitality industries. Scale Slide 15 As of December 2014, there have been 55 unique articles so far, generating a total of 138.4 million impressions. In addition, there have been 23 radio interviews. As of December 2014, there have been 55 unique articles so far, generating a total of 138.4 million impressions. In addition, there have been 23 radio interviews. Slide 16 Over 40 brands have initiated certification of their supply chains to the RDS. Over 300 sites have been certified to date, in Eastern Europe, China and Taiwan. Over 100 million birds will fall under the RDS in 2015. Over 40 brands have initiated certification of their supply chains to the RDS. Over 300 sites have been certified to date, in Eastern Europe, China and Taiwan. Over 100 million birds will fall under the RDS in 2015. Slide 17 Expertise The quality of the RDS as a standard is a reflection of the expertise and commitment of the developers and stakeholders, the in-depth process of research and testing, and support behind it. Complete 100% of industrial farms are certified all the time; giving complete assurance. Chosen The quality of the RDS as a standard is reflected by its rapid adoption. The RDS is recognized as a clear and thorough standard that aggressively addresses issues of animal welfare, while respecting the realities of the production chain. Thorough Publicly stated Terms of Reference; this document represents the careful consideration given by the members of the international working group, and sets the foundation for the development of a high quality, effective standard that is in compliance with ISEAL guidelines. Quality Slide 18 RDS: Publicly Stated Terms of Reference Objectives Ensure to the highest possible extent that down and feathers do not come from animals in a supply chain that have been subjected to any unnecessary harm. Reward and influence the down and feather industry for practices that respect the humane treatment of ducks and geese. Provide companies with a tool to know what is in their products, and to make accurate claims. Ensure strong chain of custody for certified materials as they move through the supply chain 1/7 Slide 19 Scope* 1. From hatchling to finished product - Global supply chain from hatchling through to final garment assembly: hatcheries*, farms, collectors, slaughter, processing, finished goods manufacturing, traders, transport - Parent farms will be audited when they are a source of down or feathers 2. An optional set of requirements will address parent farms. - The requirements will include milestones towards full inclusion of parent farms - Set milestones for including parent farms in future versions - Set a mechanism to identify brands or companies certifying to the parent farms 3. Applicable for industrialized and small farm - collector based channels 2/7 *The scope is based on the revised version of the RDS, which will be released early 2015. Slide 20 Scope (contd) 4. Blended and 100% certified products may use the RDS, only products with 100% certified down may use the logo on consumer-facing products. - Blended labeling can be used to allow brand-level public communication for overall volumes, and on B2B products and documents - Blended labeling cannot be used on any consumer-facing products, regardless of their certification status - No restrictions on other materials in the product - No reference to the RDS Blended logo or claims allowed on any products being sold to consumers 5. Holistic animal welfare - beyond prohibition of force-feeding and live plucking - Freedom from hunger or thirst - Freedom from discomfort - Freedom from pain, injury or disease - Freedom to express (most) normal behavior - Freedom from fear and distress 3/7 Slide 21 Needs Justification 1. There are animals used for the production of feathers and down that are being force-fed, live-plucked, and/or are not being treated with respect to the Five Freedoms. 2. Brands are feeling pressure from Animal Welfare and Animal Rights groups to address these issues. 3. There have not been any global third party standards, applicable for the textile industry, that fully address animal welfare issues and chain of custody. 4. At this point in time there is the opportunity to align the needs of the many stakeholders, and develop an efficient and effective tool that will send a clear message to the industry. 4/7 Slide 22 Risk Assessment/Risk Plan 1. Traceability, particularly through small farm collectors. - This will be a key focus for the revision work. The current RDS sets strong traceability requirements, but we will want to look at ways to help the collectors put the traceability in place, and to develop further tools for certification bodies to effectively evaluate the effectiveness of the traceability. - Traceability throughout transportation from the farms to the slaughter house will be addressed. 2. Incorrect or inconsistent certification results. - Strong guidance for certification bodies; training, tools - Shadow audits, either by TE or the accreditation body, will be important for new CBs certifying to the standard 3. Deliberate misleading of auditors by sites being certified. - Training of sites being certified, so that they understand the goals of the RDS and buy into the process - Withdrawal of certification for a minimum period of time; TE will publish this withdrawal on their website. 5/7 Slide 23 Risk Assessment/Risk Plan 4. Lack of understanding of standards requirements by sites being certified. - Direct training by Textile Exchange or the certification body, written support materials, webinars, presentations 5. Introducing increased costs and complication to the supply chain. - Involvement of stakeholders in the development process so that the standard is practical in its application - Use of CCS to overlap with certification to other TE standards (OCS, RCS, GRS, RDS) - Encourage widespread use of the RDS to give certified sites multiple customers and allow them to maximize the volume of certified down or feathers, thus driving down the per-unit cost of certification to become almost minimal. - Encourage widespread use of the RDS to set consistent expectations and practices in the industry that will create an even playing field for all involved. - Outreach into the meat industry to support demand for ethically raised duck and geese from supermarkets, etc. 6. Requirements of the RDS conflict with legislation or with other standards (eg: worker welfare) - Research local legislations and standards being used for waterfowl - Set up procedures to address any conflicts (already developed in the current RDS) - Ensure that compliance with local legislation is ensured by the standard 6 /7 Slide 24 Risk Assessment/Risk Plan 7. Corruption - Sufficient checks and balances in the certification process (e.g. auditors should not regularly inspect the same facility over time, limiting the possibility of establishing a relationship) - Use of local auditors to understand the underlying issues and behaviours, and to look out for areas of potential problem - Proper oversight into the CBs certification process 8. Impacts on existing initiatives - Early discussion with existing initiatives, and involvement in the development of the RDS - Collaborate to combine, adopt or recognize requirements of existing standards. 9. Wide diversity of farming practices around the globe - Strong stakeholder representation in the development and review of the standard - Proper research of local farming practices - Flexible structure to the standard, particularly through the 50% compliance of the minor requirements 7/7 Slide 25 Development Process Governance Transparency Scale Quality Established Standard Slide 26 Thats why!