Emphasising Fairness and Legislative Responsibility
At Biofach 2024, Ruslan Alyamkin, Responsible for Standard Development and Implementation (Social Responsibility) at GOTS, participated in the session “Navigating Social Justice in Organic Supply Chains” on 14 February. Alyamkin underscored the importance of fairness, dignity, and respect for human rights across all levels of the organic value chain, stressing that sustainability must go hand in hand with social responsibility.
He also addressed the changing legislative environment, referencing key regulations such as the German Supply Chain Act and the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, both of which introduce mandatory human rights due diligence requirements for companies.
Collaborative Dialogue on Social Standards in Organics
The panel included representatives from IFOAM Organic International, Bio Suisse, CSQA Certificazioni, Bhutan Organic Mission, and GOEL – Gruppo Cooperativo. The discussion centred around IFOAM’s Motion 74, a global initiative aimed at integrating stronger social justice principles within the organic movement.
Alyamkin noted that GOTS Version 7.0 has embedded these principles deeply into its criteria, outlining strict human rights and social requirements. These include prohibitions on forced and child labour, measures against discrimination, and standards ensuring safe working conditions, fair wages, and gender equality.
The session reaffirmed GOTS’s commitment to promoting a holistic vision of sustainability—one that values both environmental integrity and human dignity throughout the global organic supply chain.
