Does the CSDDD apply to us?

Probably not directly. Since the EU changes of February 2026, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive covers companies with more than 5,000 employees and over €1.5 billion turnover, from July 2029. If you supply those companies, or sell through retailers who ask about due diligence, you will still get their questions, and they follow the same OECD steps.

What does the Forced Labour Regulation mean for us?

From 14 December 2027, products made with forced labour can’t be sold in or exported from the EU. The rule applies to every company, whatever its size. When there are signs of forced labour, authorities can investigate, ask you how your due diligence checks for it, and have customs stop the product. A due diligence process that works lets you show what you know about your supply chain and what you do about the risks.

Where do we start if we know little about our suppliers?

With what you have. We map what you know per supplier and material, mark the gaps, and decide which risks to look into first. The gaps themselves tell you a lot.

We have certifications. Is that enough?

Certifications such as GOTS or GRS and memberships such as BSCI cover part of the work. I look at what yours cover and what is left for you to do, so you don’t do the same work twice.

SUPPLY CHAIN DUE DILIGENCE FOR FASHION, LIFESTYLE AND CONSUMER BRANDS

From a list of suppliers to a clear view of your risks and what to do about them.

Book a discovery call

Due diligence means finding the human rights and environmental risks in your supply chain, and reducing them step by step. It is the operational side of your sustainability strategy. I set it up with you, based on the OECD due diligence guidance: a risk map, the policies, methods and tools to manage the risks, and a way to follow up with suppliers. You get answers you can give customers with facts, and a team that knows where to improve first.

When do brands start with supply chain due diligence?

A customer asks how you manage risks

A retailer, a wholesale customer or a certification body sends a questionnaire about your supply chain. You want to answer it with facts, this time and next time.

You know your factories well

Your team visits the factories often and has good relationships with them. That is a strong base. A visit shows you what you see on that day, and your word is not yet proof of how people work there every day. It is good to have it on paper that it checks out, and to know more about the spinners, dyers, tanneries and farms behind them.

A new rule reaches your products

From 14 December 2027, the EU Forced Labour Regulation can stop products made with forced labour from reaching the EU market, whatever the size of the company that sells them. Customs can stop a product at the border, and authorities can ask to see how your due diligence checks for forced labour. You want to be able to show it.

Due diligence is useful when conditions improve: for the people who make your products, and for the places where they are made.

The OECD guidance describes it as a cycle: embed responsible business conduct in your policies, identify the risks, stop or reduce them, track the results, communicate what you do, and provide for remediation when harm happens. Long-term relationships with suppliers make every step easier, so that is where I start.

What a project looks like

PHASE 1

Where the risks are

I map what you know per supplier, country and material, and mark the gaps. Together we look at where the risks for people and the environment are highest, using country and material data and what your suppliers tell you. You see which risks come first.

PHASE 2

What you do about them

We write or update your due diligence policy and supplier code of conduct, and choose the methods and tools to collect information from suppliers. For the main risks we make action plans with the suppliers involved, with steps they can take.

PHASE 3

Follow-up

I set up a simple way to track progress and record what you do, for your reporting and for your customers. Then your team runs the cycle, with ongoing support from me if you want, for example in quarterly check-ins.

You get

A risk map per country, material and supplier
A due diligence policy and supplier code of conduct
Methods and tools to collect supplier information
Action plans for the main risks
A way to track and report progress

Format

A kick-off, information gathering with your sourcing and product team, working sessions to set priorities, contact with suppliers where needed, and a final presentation. When it helps the project, I visit suppliers with you. Online or at your office, in Dutch or English.

Duration

Setting up the system varies a lot. It depends on the size of your supply chain, how many tiers and countries it covers, and what is already in place. You get a planning in the offer. Follow-up can continue as ongoing support, for example quarterly check-ins.

Pricing

A fixed fee for the agreed scope, in the offer you receive before we start. For follow-up during the year, we agree on a form that works for both of us.

With AI: I can design a workflow to collect and organise supplier information, such as questionnaire answers and certificates, so your team spends less time chasing spreadsheets. We check together what comes back.

A gap in your supplier data is a finding. It shows you where to start.

Brands I helped with their supply chain

BRONX

With a client I travelled through China, from the sewing factory to the farmers who grow the hemp. The supply chain was small family plots and a local buyer. No certificate changes that overnight, so we started with the relationships and worked towards traceability step by step.

SUPPLY CHAIN VISIT, CHINA WITH BILLIE WONDER

DUE DILIGENCE IMPLEMENTATION FOR A FOOTWEAR BRAND, FOLLOWING THE STRATEGY AND ROADMAP, AS PART OF AN ONGOING COLLABORATION

At Kuyichi, the organic denim pioneer, I work on human rights due diligence and certifications as strategist in the team.

FAQ

Want to talk about your supply chain?

Book a 20-minute call and tell me what your customers ask and what you know about your suppliers today. I will tell you where I would start. Or write to hello@thesustainabilityclub.com.

BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL