The recent controversies span social and environmental claims, exposing gaps in the industry’s general approach to auditing and certifications, as much as specific standards or programs. In 2024, an investigation by NGO Earthsight alleged that there were links between Better Cotton Initiative-certified farms and illegal deforestation, land grabbing, and violence towards local communities. In response, Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) said that an independent audit into allegations found no breach of standards, but recommended that improvements could be made when it came to the certification’s criteria and assessment guidance.
Then, an ongoing probe into Made in Italy supply chains revealed evidence of worker exploitation in luxury subcontractors. Meanwhile, recent Peta protests about the ethics of wool have raised some doubts over the strength of the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) and Nativa certifications, after the animal rights group found that there was violent handling of sheep at two farms in South Africa. Textile Exchange, the non-profit that develops and governs the RWS, said in a statement that the certifications of both farms have now been suspended following an investigation into the allegations.
In hopes of finding a better path forward, Vogue Business reached out to leading auditors to understand their — often-overlooked — perspective. What needs to change to move forward? And how can the industry help auditors live up to their promises?
A lack of nuance
One of the major challenges is that audits, rather than being able to give the whole picture, simply provide brands — and therefore consumers — with a snapshot of the situation on the ground at a given time. “It’s a very structured framework, which gives you insight into what’s happening on a given day, or over two or three days, depending on how much time you’re spending on the site,” explains Naurin Muzaffar, the founder of US-based auditing and consultancy firm Innovatus.
Typically, suppliers are given advance notice of an audit, whether that’s a specific date or a time frame in which the inspection will take place, allowing them time to prepare and perform at their best. “If I’ve booked an audit for 10 days’ time, the bosses in the factory will have everything clean [and] tidy for those 10 days before the auditor arrives,” says Ellias Mussa, a former auditor for fast fashion retailer I Saw It First, who is now a social advocacy worker for the Fashion Workers Advice Bureau Leicester (FAB-L). It’s why Muzaffar prefers unannounced visits where possible: “You want to be able to see the system running as naturally as possible.”
