Factsheet

OEKO-TEX® STeP
Independent certification for sustainable production facilities
OEKO-TEX® STeP certification sets the highest standards for both social and environmental aspects of textile andleather production. This certification is a sign of responsibility towards employees and the environment, and supports
a company’s journey towards more sustainable production.
OEKO-TEX® STeP certified production facilities make an important contribution so that products along the value chain
can be recognized with the OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN label. The certification enables also an easy and transparent
communication of sustainability commitment to customers and other stakeholders.

Product description
STeP enables a holistic consideration of manufacturing conditions from a sustainable point of view and encompasses
analysis and assessment in the six core modules of sustainable textile production:• hemical management is covering the optimization of different aspects, which includes a risk assessment ofC
chemicals used in the facility, ban and substitution of hazardous chemicals to reach a clean input management.
Thanks to the cooperation with GoBlu, our customer can use the BHive®, a smart chemical inventory system thatallows them to track the performance of their chemical inventory and determine in seconds which chemical
products meet the sustainability requirements of STeP, ZDHC and many brands/retailers.

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 nvironmental performance is considering a wide range of aspects to improve the efficiency of resources used,E
handling and storage of chemicals, waste management, responsible handling of wastewater and emissions(e.g. reduction of carbon footprint and water usage).

• nvironmental management module is requesting a management system that captures a documented description
Eof the processes and activities to achieve environmental targets with continuous improvements towards greater
sustainability.

• ocial responsibility deals with the ILO core conventions and is covering a wide range of aspects likeS
prevention of child labor and discrimination as well as regulation of wages and grievance mechanism, including thesurveillance of working hours and prevention of forced labour.

• uality management is looking at the traceability, responsibilities, and documentation of goods flows within theQfacility, the correct implementation of risk management and the commitment to ongoing improvements.

• orkplace safety is covering measures for safety at the workplace and proving safety of buildings and production
Wplants (e.g. use of PPE, safety measure at machines, escape route plans and building construction measures)
as well as implementing risk prevention and regular trainings.

With the Impact Calculator STeP customers can measures their carbon and water footprint continuously in an easy andintuitive way. A series of data entries builds quickly a clear picture of the carbon and water footprint, allowing to takedecisive steps in achieving the industry`s goal to reduce water usage and carbon emissions 30% by 2030.

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The STeP certification comprises a three-level scoring system:•Level 1:

entry level•

Level 2:

good implementation of best practices with further optimisation potential•

Level 3:

exemplary implementation of best practices

Each facility receives a detailed STeP report, including the results of the online assessment tool and the expert audit.
The associated STeP certificate indicates both a final overall rating and the individual scoring for each of the six coremodules.

The compelling benefits•TheSTeP certification is designed especially for production facilities and enables a comprehensive analysis
and assessment of the sustainable production processes and conditions achieved.

• great advantage for STeP certified facilities is the tracking of their key performance indicators: a facilityA
can show their reductions regarding energy use, water use, air emissions etc. over time.

• acilities can measure their carbon and water footprint by use of the Impact Calculator. It gives them an initialF
estimate on materials and process steps that contribute the most to their overall environmental impact.

•

 ervices and certificates already provided or attained (e.g. ISO 14001, SA 8000, BSCI, ISO 9001) can beS
integrated into STeP.

• ith STeP, companies are able to increase the efficiency of their production processes, improve social andW
environmental conditions as well as strengthen their economic situation and competitiveness.

•

 s part of the OEKO-TEX® STeP certification wet processing companies analyse their chemical performanceAwith regard to goals of our OEKO-TEX® STeP Manufacturing Restricted Substances List, which is compliant withthe Greenpeace Detox campaign and ZDHC MRSL requirements.

• he STeP certificate is the prerequisite for OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN, our product label for articles tested
Tfor harmful substances and produced in a sustainable way.

Your path to OEKO-TEX® STeP
1. Complete the application form online on the OEKO-TEX® website and confirm the terms of use.
2. Upon receipt of the access data from the responsible OEKO-TEX® institute, complete the web-based
STeP assessment tool.
3. The OEKO-TEX® institute evaluates the information provided and the documents submitted.
4. The OEKO-TEX® institute verifies the data obtained in the form of an on-site audit at the production facility.
5. The OEKO-TEX® institute draws up a detailed audit report including a final assessment and issues the STeP certificate.

Validity
The STeP certificate is valid for 3 years.

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