The ZDHC Foundation unveiled the ZDHC CMS Framework, giving the textile, apparel and footwear industries a united base that can be incorporated in a wider management program, such as an Environmental Management System (EMS).
ZDHC, formerly Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals, said a chemical management system (CMS) is paramount to worker safety and reduces environmental impact in the community and the broader environment. Scott Echols, ZDHC program director, said the framework is a critical link between controlling input chemistries and monitoring outputs.
“This assists the supply chain in bringing a chemical management program to life and promotes responsible chemical use by a facility or brand,” Echols said. “We are grateful to all those active in the collaboration who worked to develop this important framework.”
The CMS Framework is the first of a two-part structure of the ZDHC CMS. One part is the ZDHC CMS Framework, which lays out the minimum components of a CMS. The other is the ZDHC CMS Technical Industry Guide that will cover the implementation of a CMS in the supply chain.
“We are very excited and happy to release the ZDHC CMS Framework together with other brands,” Veera Sinnemaki, H&M’s sustainability program manager for chemicals. “The alignment of tools such as chemical management systems ensures we all implement and follow the same clear guidelines making sure we have the same core elements of a chemical management system.”
Prasad Pant, ZDHC South Asia director, said the CMS Framework will link to the CMS Technical Industry Guide that’s coming soon. Pant noted that both documents support the “holistic implementation of a chemical management system in a textile or leather manufacturing facility” and help companies engage more effectively with the ZDHC Supplier to Zero Program.”
The ZDHC CMS Framework will be a key support for the entire industry as organizations along the value chain adapt to the need for good chemical management and strive to protect their business into the future.