A Scalable Sustainability Model
Despite strong regulatory drivers and growing brand expectations across global fashion supply chains, translating sustainable chemical management from policy into consistent day-to-day practice remains a shared industry challenge. In Italy, where the textile, apparel, leather and footwear sectors are organised around highly specialised industrial districts and a strong network of small and medium-sized enterprises, this complexity has highlighted the need for practical, scalable implementation models rather than exposing a country-specific weakness. Manufacturers often work within long-established production structures and multi-tier supply networks, which makes harmonisation, traceability and verified performance more demanding, but also creates a strong foundation for collective progress. Addressing these challenges requires long-term, locally grounded approaches that align international frameworks with manufacturing realities, build technical capability over time and support the transition from reactive compliance towards structured, measurable and scalable chemical management.
This case study, looks at one of ZDHC’s Approved Solution Providers working to solve this challenge. Highlighting the value of tools aligned with the Roadmap to Zero Programme, demonstrating concrete and verifiable results achieved through this long-standing collaboration and the active contribution of the Italian supply chain to advancing sustainability practices at scale.
For over a decade, starting as a consulting company (Process Factory), evolving with the 4sustainability® framework and today working under the new brand YMPACT, has been actively collaborating with ZDHC, supporting the implementation of the Roadmap to Zero Programme within the Italian fashion and luxury value chain. Initially established to support a structured implementation protocol (4s CHEM) in line with the ZDHC methodology, providing a support model for suppliers, facilitated via training, consulting and technology of the adoption and growth of the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero programme within the specific context of the Italian manufacturing system.
The integration of the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero into the 4sustainability® CHEM Pillar / Protocol represents one of the most mature applications of the programme at European level.
The 4s CHEM Pillar is Ympact’s structured methodology for sustainable chemical management. It guides suppliers through a step-by-step process to eliminate hazardous substances from production processes by implementing Input, Process and Output requirements fully aligned with the ZDHC Supplier to Zero Programme.
The methodology defines clear roles and responsibilities, establishes a verified chemical inventory, supports risk assessment and raw material mapping and introduces standardised procedures for monitoring, wastewater management and corrective actions. Company progress is assessed annually through structured verification, with performance indicators validated and transparently reported. As a result of more than ten years of collaboration with ZDHC, the 4s CHEM Pillar is now one of the globally recognised schemes aligned with the ZDHC Supplier to Zero Programme to obtain ZDHC certificates at different levels.
By adopting the 4s CHEM methodology, companies have transitioned from fragmented or reactive chemical management approaches to a systematic model that reduces operational risk and strengthens environmental performance. The Pillar ensures alignment with the ZDHC Programme, supports compliance with emerging European regulations, including CSRD, CSDDD and the Digital Product Passport and builds internal capabilities through continuous training and support.
Beyond regulatory compliance, the methodology delivers tangible values: improved reliability of primary data, upstream implementation on subsuppliers and other tiers, stronger communication with brand partners and verifiable evidence of progress.
To date, over 3000 Italian fashion and luxury suppliers have been mapped and actively engaged through the 4s CHEM Pillar, with more than 250 companies achieving the 4s CHEM Assurance, supported by annual performance verification. Many of these suppliers have also reached ZDHC Supplier to Zero Level 1 and Level 2 Certificate.
These results reflect both the maturity of the Italian supply chain and its growing commitment to responsible chemical management. Leading companies (see at https://www.4sustainability.it/en/4s-companies/ ) are demonstrating measurable reductions in chemical impact and contributing to sector-wide progress. The scalable Ympact technology model, is engaging a growing number of supply-chain actors upstream in different tiers of the supply chain in the various sourcing countries.
This experience shows that lasting progress in sustainable chemical management depends on translating the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme into practical, verifiable and scalable implementation across global supply chains. Further advancement of the Programme depends on solution providers in all regions aligning with ZDHC requirements, developing locally appropriate implementation models and actively supporting suppliers through training, tools and verification. By strengthening this global ecosystem of aligned solution providers, the industry can accelerate adoption, improve consistency across supply chains and move beyond isolated compliance towards a harmonised, system-level transformation with measurable impact.
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About Ympact
A ZDHC Approved Solution Provider since 2016. Ympact connects fashion and luxury brands to their supply chains by combining advanced technologies, expert consultancy, and a harmonised framework to trace data, optimise processes and foster sustainability. Their approach focuses on reducing environmental footprint and enhancing social responsibility through the balanced integration of technology and expertise. Through operational tools, training, implementation support and verification processes, Ympact enables concrete and measurable transparency and sustainability improvements.
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