Cascale Engages in Key Discussions at the OECD Forum

Cascale joined critical conversations in Paris at the recent OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment & Footwear Sector, tackling key challenges in responsible purchasing, traceability, and industry metrics on GHG emissions, wages, and responsible purchasing practices.

Dr. Marsha Dickson, co-founder and president of Better Buying Institute and Cascale’s Better Buying program consultant and Cascale’s James Crowley, manager of transparency and traceability (supply chain); Sophia Ellis, senior manager of transparency and accountability; and Hanna Griesbeck Garcia, manager of stakeholder engagement and project manager of The Industry We Want (TIWW) were among the speakers.

In one session featuring Dickson, the speakers unpacked empirical research on the uptake and impact of due diligence in the sector. They presented the OECD's new monitoring and evaluation framework for the garment and footwear sector.

It also sought to explore how different user groups could use the framework. Dickson gave an overview of BBI’s surveys, methodology, and learnings about purchasing practices. She shared key findings from the 2024 Better Buying Partnership Index (BBPI) Report, highlighting comparisons and differences in sporting goods versus fashion. Dickson discussed Cascale’s acquisition of key assets of BBI, noting the significant alignment of both organizations’ missions and goals, and highlighted the joint commitment to firmly putting responsible purchasing practices on the global agenda.

The panel included Chikako Oka, associate professor, Université Paris-Est Créteil; Nazma Akter, president, Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation (SGSF); Prathika Kurian, senior manager, factory compliance, SanMar; Rachel Alexander, independent consultant and researcher, Copenhagen Business School & University of Johannesburg; Sarosh Kuruvilla, professor, industrial and labor relations, Cornell University, and Julia Schmidt, senior policy officer, Federal Ministry for Economic Development, Germany.

Later, Crowley and Griesbeck Garcia moderated two well-attended side sessions: “Bridging the Gap: Traceability to Enable Due Diligence” and “Mid-Decade Reflection: Insights from The Industry We Want's 2025 Metrics and the Road to 2030,” in which Ellis also participated.

Crowley’s session aimed to provide industry guidance on what CSDDD legislation and OECD Guidance mean for data collection strategies, supplier engagement, and risk identification. The session also provided a platform for traceability initiatives to present intelligence, research, and programs that support due diligence for retailers, brands, and manufacturers.

Speakers in this session included Evonne Tan, senior director of data and technology at the Textile Exchange; Dorothy Lovell, sector lead for garments and footwear at the OECD; Lea Esterhuizen, founder and chief executive of &Wider; Josh Taylor, traceability manager at ISEAL; Saqib Shahzad, head of sustainability at Sapphire Diamond and co-founder of Transformers Foundation, and Jannis Bellinghausen, senior director of systems integrity at Better Cotton.

Crowley gave a brief overview of Cascale and the Higg Index, then shared a presentation on traceability guidance to enable risk identification. He showcased a high-level approach to categorizing traceability and supply chain data, focusing on the second step of the OECD guidance stages concerning the CS3D. Crowley noted the current traceability requirements of the CS3D and shared actionable steps companies can take for risk identification and prioritization.

Representing The Industry We Want, Griesbeck Garcia’s session explored the fourth cycle of the TIWW’s Industry Dashboard metrics before opening the discussion to the lived experiences and perspectives of those at the heart of the garment and footwear industry. The session highlighted the year-on-year trajectories of the metrics and explored crucial levers needed to realign the course and shape the industry into one that creates worthy and fair working conditions while safeguarding our planet.

Griesbeck Garcia started the discussion with an overview of the landscape, noting the need for a fundamental shift in power dynamics, greater accountability, and a commitment to implementing and scaling real solutions. Then Ellis shared key insights into the data presented, highlighting the rise in production volumes as a contributor to growing emissions outweighing decarbonization efforts. She emphasized the ongoing imperative for the sector to reduce emissions in alignment with a 1.5-degree future while also addressing the need to challenge traditional business models. During the discussion, she highlighted key essentials for achieving meaningful reductions, including supply chain engagement and effective target setting.

Ellis shared Cascale’s efforts to accelerate industry-wide decarbonization through the Industry Decarbonization Roadmap and address foundational environmental performance basics. She also noted the organization's strategic focus in driving the adoption of responsible purchasing practices with the purchase of key assets from the Better Buying Institute.

The sessions concluded with a clear consensus from participants across all sessions on an urgent need to collaborate and accelerate collective action to transform the industry.