In April 2021, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) through UN/CEFACT endorsed a toolbox comprising a policy recommendation for governments, implementation guidelines, a traceability standard and a call to action with reporting mechanisms for industry actors.

Its aim was to provide the necessary tools to trace the sustainability and circularity performance of products, processes and facilities throughout the entire value chain, from raw material production through manufacturing, to final products, consumption and post-consumption.

The initiative is now piloting the toolbox with companies in a blockchain environment to harness the potential of technology for sustainability and due diligence.

Traceability and transparency of information along the value chain is key to helping circular business models to close the loop (eco-design, resource efficiency, recycling, repairing, remanufacturing, waste management, impact measurement of water, chemicals, energy, climate change mitigation and adaptation).

More information on the initiative.

Toolbox documents:

• Policy Recommendation and Guidelines
• Call to action
• Sustainability Pledge
• Traceability Standard Part I and Part II
• Business Process Analysis in Textile and Leather
• Mapping of Policies, regulations and guidelines
• Policy Brief