On May 13th, during the TexSMC Workshop of Innovative Coordination on Chemicals Control in the textile supply chain held in Shangyu, Zhejiang Province, China, CNTAC announced the “Chemicals Stewardship 2020” initiative.

Since 2011, CNTAC’s Office for Social Responsibility (CNTAC-CSR) has been organizing stakeholder dialogues on the environmental responsibility of the textile industry out of concern about the industry’s development. CNTAC-CSR has organized three stakeholders meetings on hazardous chemicals control, to foster dialogue and understanding and explore the solution to chemicals control in the supply chain, which achieved unprecedented response throughout the textile industry.

The “Chemicals Stewardship 2020” initiative will set up the basic framework  for on Chemicals Risk Management in textile supply chain over five years (2016-2020) in China, with a view to facilitating an unified and coordinative approach to requirements , system and capacity building on chemicals environmental risk control; to explore an effective mechanism and platform for communication and cooperation among stakeholders; to jointly foster  chemicals control in the textile supply chain with concerted efforts; to minimize the adverse effects of chemicals on human health and the environment; to achieve the goal of  green development of the textile industry as outlined in the 13th Five-Year Development Plan of China. The main missions of “Chemicals Stewardship 2020” are designed as follows:  innovative coordination, integration of standards, stakeholder engagement, capacity-building, and information exchange.

Meanwhile, the ZDHC Foundation that represents 22 leading textile and footwear brands signed a strategic partnership agreement with CNTAC. The ZDHC programme will support the CNTAC “Chemicals Stewardship 2020” in China´s textile industry, and CNTAC will scale up the domestic enterprises and stakeholders to join in a unified movement of hazardous chemicals control in the supply chain. Both CNTAC and ZDHC Foundation will improve and harmonize chemicals management practices along the value chain, and step up efforts to promote and drive the implementation of green manufacturing practices and sustainable development. The joint action ZDHC/CNTAC Chemicals Stewardship Roadmap Implementation will be facilitated by Textile Sustainable Manufacturing Coalition (TexSMC), which is supported by endorsement and recognition of the collaboration of chemicals industry, textile industry and brands, 100 leading dyeing mills will be invited for the pilot action in 2016 in the working plan of “Chemicals Stewardship 2020 ” Initiative.