The VCS scheme

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Achieving VCS certification means following a structured four-step journey. The VCS Framework guides your company step by step, involving the supply chain where needed to ensure continuous improvement. Here are the four certification phases: 

  • Step 1: legal sustainability compliance assessment and development of an initial internal improvement plan; 
  • Step 2: monitoring progress and initiating continuous improvement, involving suppliers for a preliminary compliance check across the supply chain; 
  • Step 3: full assessment of all applicable environmental, social, and governance criteria, and definition of a more advanced improvement plan; 
  • Step 4: continuous tracking and optimization of sustainability performance both internally and across the supply chain, ensuring long-term compliance. 

This step-by-step approach allows your business to build a solid sustainability foundation and reach increasingly higher performance levels, with the reassurance of a verified, certified process. 
 

Key steps in improvement process measured by the software

 

 

 

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Standard

VCS is based on international standards and guidelines for corporate social responsibility, due diligence, sustainable development, and improvement of environmental and social impact in company management, purchasing practices and the supply chain. Each of these international requirements has been integrated to form the VCS tool:

  • EU COMMISSION PEF INITIATIVE
  • FASHION PACT
  • FASHION INDUSTRY CHARTER FOR CLIMTE ACTION
  • GHG PROTOCOL
  • GRI (Global Reporting Initiative)
  • ISO26000
  • ISO9001
  • ISO45001
  • ISO14001
  • OECD Guidelines
  • SCIENCE BASED TARGETS
  • UNGPs (United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights)
  • UNITED NATIONS SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)

Software

Companies can measure, manage and improve their performance through a self-assessment and a tier-one assessment of suppliers.

Watch a demo about how the software works:

Areas of sustainability measured by the software

Environment Environment
Animal welfare Animal welfare
Chemical management Chemical management
Community involvement Community involvement
Human Rights Human Rights
Commercial and loyal practices Commercial and loyal practices
Labour practices Labour practices
Consumer issues Consumer issues
Traceability Traceability

Consultancy

VCS relies on a network of qualified consultants who work alongside companies in the process of assessment and improvement in order to obtain certification, implementing the actions suggested by the software.

Certification

VCS is a registered certification trademark owned by Assocalzaturifici.

Obtaining the VCS certification mark at the end of the process is subject to passing a certification test conducted by an indipendent body.

The certification is annual.