Brands to Zero

ACCELERATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF sustainable chemical management

Brands to Zero provides brands and retailers with a harmonised approach and a clear path to achieving sustainable chemical management in their own corporations and throughout their supply chains.

Joint implementation

‍The leader programme for Signatory Brands and Retailers comprises an integrated package of ZDHC Guidelines, Platforms and Solutions that streamline and create a single common implementation approach. This eliminates duplicative efforts and supply chain complexity and confusion resulting in enhanced supplier engagement and consistent benchmarking of implementation performance.

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Implementation leadership and benchmarking industry peers

‍Brands to Zero makes it possible to align implementation and make performance comparable through an annual quantifiable assessment. Comparing overall assessment scores challenges brands and retailers to benchmark themselves and apply best practises of performance leaders in the industry. Providing individual roadmap development plans, Brands to Zero helps drive and improve implementation of sustainable chemical management.

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Communicating leadership

‍A report is produced by a third-party assessor (KPMG) for each brand to provide key information on the level of implementation. Each report is based on defined KPIs and metrics. It allows brands to communicate to their own organisation their work as part of ZDHC’s mission to phase out the use of hazardous chemistry.

Brands to Zero

The Assessment

An annual assessment process evaluates the progress of each brand

Discover how ZDHC Brand Signatories are evaluated annually on key performance indicators (KPIs) to enhance sustainable chemical management practices. Brands are categorized into three levels — Pioneer, Accelerator, and Champion — based on their commitment and progress in implementing the Roadmap to Zero Programme

Accelerator

Advancing sustainable chemical practices

Pioneer

Initial commitment to ZDHC guidelines and implementation

Champion

Leading integration of sustainable practices

Understanding the Assessment Process

Gain insights into the assessment process, including the role of third-party reviews, scoring segments, and strategies for brands to enhance their sustainability efforts.

Learn more →

Brands
to Zero Programme
Benefits

Reduce duplicative efforts and supply chain complexity and confusion via a single implementation approach

Drive joint implementation through the ZDHC Sustainable Chemical Management Framework

Leverage expert consultancy of the ZDHC Implementation HUB
to improve brand implementation and further develop your individual roadmap

Measure and benchmark brand implementation performance of the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme

Strengthen and enhance supplier engagement

Conduct annual assessments on the level of implementation based on agreed KPIs and metrics facilitated by third-party assessor KPMG

Communicate your annual assessment results in sustainability reports

The Benefits of Brands to Zero

Providing implementation in a consistent way to enable brands and retailers to advance towards zero discharge of hazardous chemicals.

Evaluation of the brands’ joint effort on the implementation of the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero.

Benchmarking and measuring the Brands implementation performance of ZDHC Roadmap to Zero.

Reduction of duplication and complexity of the supply chain. Strengthening and enhancing the supplier engagement.

Assessment results can be used as part of the brand’s external sustainability report. It is helpful for quick quantitative reporting to the brand’s top management.

Fostering a culture of leadership

in sustainable chemical management

While all ZDHC Contributor Brands are recognised for their leadership within the industry, ZDHC measures and benchmarks the implementation performance within the Brands to Zero.
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Following the annual assessment of our Brands to Zero Leader Programme, we highlight the achievements of the best performing brands. A brand achieves the ‘Aspirational Level’ , the highest category of success, when they attain not only a sufficient total score across all KPIs but also meet key milestones of the Roadmap to Zero Programme and fulfil selected KPIs determined by ZDHC. The KPIs are focused on assessing the way ZDHC Guidelines, Platforms and Solutions are embedded into a Brand’s corporate strategy, and implemented in their value chain practises.

brands to zero assessment 2021
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Aspirational Level

Disclaimer

Fostering a culture of leadership

in sustainable chemical management

While all ZDHC Signatory Brands are recognised for their leadership within the industry, ZDHC measures and benchmarks the implementation performance within the Brands to Zero.

Following the annual assessment of our Brands to Zero Leader Programme, we highlight the achievements of the best performing brands. A brand achieves the ‘Champion Level’ , the highest category of success, when they attain not only a sufficient total score across all KPIs but also meet key milestones of the Roadmap to Zero Programme and fulfil selected KPIs determined by ZDHC. The KPIs are focused on assessing the way ZDHC Guidelines, Platforms and Solutions are embedded into a Brand’s corporate strategy, and implemented in their value chain practises.

Brands to Zero Assessment

Champion Level

Disclaimer

Coming soon

sustainability radar

The ZDHC Brand Radar ‘Sustainable Chemical Management’ (working title) maps brands according to their level of engagement within the Roadmap to Zero Programme. In the spirit of transparency, ZDHC is centralising implementation progress data for the interested audience, to find out how individual fashion brands and retailers are engaging and progressing in their implementation of sustainable chemical management in their value chains.

About ZDHC

How can we clean up the fashion industry’s complex supply chain? Here’s what we’ve achieved so far and where we’re headed.

Making safer chemicals easier to source

Instead of trying to remove hazardous chemicals after making a product, it makes more sense to manage chemical inputs from the very start. The ZDHC MRSL helps to make that possible and it's the bedrock of our work.

Different chemical formulations are used in production practices. In turn, each of those formulations is made from a list of substances. The ZDHC MRSL looks in detail at those substances. It establishes acceptable limits for each one and outlines which ones to avoid, in particular those banned from intentional use.

The ZDHC MRSL helps chemical formulators by offering guidance on substances they can avoid using in their products.

Suppliers also benefit. To make materials, they must source various chemical products from formulators. The ZDHC MRSL makes that easier by proving the absence of hazardous substances in those products.

Available Electronically or as a PDF

The ZDHC MRSL is electronically available at http://mrsl.roadmaptozero.com/.

On this interactive, user-friendly platform, a user can easily search for chemical formulations that are restricted from intentional use, or download the ZDHC MRSL as a PDF file.‍

A living document

The ZDHC MRSL is a living document. It's frequently updated with new substances that should be phased out of the value chain. Version 1 was released in 2014, along with Chemical Guidance Sheets. This was updated in December 2015, when leather and coated fabrics were also added.

How we Started -

About ZDHC

What are the benefits of using it

In 2011, Greenpeace issued a wake-up call to the fashion industry, its stakeholders and consumers with the launch of its Detox campaign.

The campaign drew attention to the impact of hazardous chemicals in the manufacturing of clothing and footwear in production countries. Six brands individually signed public commitments with Greenpeace to commit to zero discharge of hazardous chemicals by 2020. This was the beginning of ZDHC’s Roadmap to Zero Programme.

In 2015, the ZDHC Foundation was established in Amsterdam with an updated vision of brands working collaboratively to implement sustainable chemistry, drive innovation and commit to best practices in the fashion industry to protect consumers, workers and the environment.

Who we are.

The ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme is a collaborative initiative of fashion brands, chemical suppliers, manufacturers and laboratories working to reduce the chemical footprint of apparel and footwear.

Together, we drive the global implementation of ZDHC’s sustainable chemical management framework and empower the global value chain to substitute or phase out hazardous chemicals in the production process and drive chemical and process innovation.

What we do.

We are advancing the apparel and footwear industry towards zero discharge of hazardous chemicals by:

a) Creating aligned, industry-endorsed guidelines and tools for sustainable chemical management
b) Driving effective implementation of these standards on the ground
c) Engaging a network of relevant stakeholders to empower every point of the supply chain to manufacture safer products

Who we work with.

The ZDHC Programme is a collaboration of over 160 organisations that are active in the textile, apparel, leather and footwear industry. Our contributors are collaborating to develop and jointly implement ZDHC’s sustainable chemical management framework.

Where we’re going.

Over the past eight years, we have put the sustainable chemical management framework in place to help the apparel and footwear industry eliminate hazardous chemicals from their supply chain.

But our job isn’t done yet. Today, we are focused on accelerating the use of our solutions worldwide. We are committed to leveraging the power of the ZDHC community to continue the transformation of the industry. And, we are prepared to share our learnings with sectors beyond the apparel and footwear industry.

Brands to Zero Report 2025

evaluating implementation progress

All ZDHC Signatory Brands are subject to an annual assessment process which evaluates brands on ZDHC-set KPIs. The objective of the assessment is to harmonise the implementation of the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme, measuring and benchmarking the implementation performance of brands and retailers, thus supporting their improvement. We base the results on a quantitative, point-based evaluation of a brand’s effort to implement best chemical management practices on a corporate- and supply chain level and their success in aligning with ZDHC Guidelines.

Download the latest Brands to Zero report and read all about the leader programme and annual assessment.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Third-Party Assessor

Fairness, reliability and neutrality.

For Brands to Zero we partner with KPMG who offers a professional, transparent and credible evaluation of brand' performance resulting in a neutral report. KPMG's international reputation and experiences enhances the Brands to Zero assessment and provides complementary expertise in the process.

Detox Fashion Radar

Tracking the implementation performance of sustainable chemical management of fashion brands.

Our radar presents chemical sustainability at a glance. On the radar, the fashion brands appear, without ranking, based on their level of implementation performance towards the goal of eliminating harmful chemicals from their value chains. These brands are the driving force behind the movement to detox fashion.

Learn more

Who we work with

Our Signatories

The ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme is a collaboration of organisations from the textile, apparel, leather and footwear industry. Brands and retailers who join ZDHC gain exclusive access to the Brands to Zero Leader Programme.
Our Signatory Brands and Retailers are a step ahead of developments in sustainable chemical management,
and together, they are driving change.

Our Impact -

Statistics

Our impact on the apparel and footwear supply chain

100%

of ZDHC Brands are committed to use the ZDHC MRSL

76%

of the Brands have implemented the ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines.

111

testing labs around the world have been approved by ZDHC to conduct accurate wastewater testing.

certification standards and testing labs around the world have been approved by ZDHC as ZDHC MRSL Conformance Indicators.

12,390

the number of wastewater test reports published on ZDHC Gateway – Wastewater Module has increased to 12,390 reports.

The ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme

How it all connects

If you decide to become a ZDHC Signatory Brand, next to Brands to Zero, you can utilise all of ZDHC platforms, guidelines and solutions, and gain access to our broad network of top experts in the industry.

Input

Managing chemical inputs is key to safer products, cleaner water and fresher air. The Input Focus Area is the cornerstone of the work we do. More info.

Process

Good procedures and best practices are vital to reduce the environmental impact of production. This Focus Area helps organisations to put these elements in place. More info.

Output

Outputs prove the effectiveness of safer inputs and processes. It does so by measuring indicators like wastewater, sludge and air quality. More info.

ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List

Chemical Management System

ZDHC Wastewater
Guidelines

Chemical Module

Wastewater Module

CMS Framework

CMS Technical guidance

Collaboration

As ZDHC implementation partner, the Implementation HUB supports organisations all over the world, by offering the solutions, training and experts they need to put good chemical management in motion. More info.

The global, go-to training platform for sustainable chemical management. This established centre of academic and practical expertise educates the industry. More info.

Brands to Zero

Joint implementation

‍Implementation leadership and benchmarking industry peers

‍Communicating leadership

The Assessment

An annual assessment process evaluates the progress of each brand

Understanding the Assessment Process

Brands to Zero

Brands to Zero ProgrammeBenefits

The Benefits of Brands to Zero

Fostering a culture of leadership

Data Disclaimer

Fostering a culture of leadership

Brands to Zero Assessment

Data Disclaimer

Counting down to the Brands to Zero report

Coming soon

About ZDHC

What are the benefits of using it

Who we are.

What we do.

Who we work with.

Where we’re going.

Brands to Zero Report 2025

Counting down to the Brands to Zero Report 2024

Third-Party Assessor

Third-Party Assessor

Counting down to the Brands to Zero report

Detox Fashion Radar

Who we work with

The ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme

Input

Process

Output

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Brands and Retailers

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Brands and Retailers > ZDHC guidelines, platforms and trainings

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Friends of ZDHC - General Eligibility Requirements

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Chemical Formulators

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Chemical Formulators > ZDHC Gateway

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Suppliers

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Solution Provider

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Solution Provider - Be an Implementation Partner

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Solution Provider - Become an Implementation Partner

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Become a ZDHC Signatory Approved Solution Provider

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Become a ZDHC Signatory Approved Solution Provider

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Implementation leadership and benchmarking industry peers

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Communicating leadership

Brands
to Zero Programme
Benefits