Since STeP certification for Sustainable Textile Production was introduced in June 2013, the International Oeko-Tex Association has trained a total of 57 auditors in Europe and Asia.

During this time and in addition to eight pilot projects at various stages, eight certifications for the rotating transition from Oeko-Tex Standard 1000 to STeP have been carried out and 17 new clients entered into the web based assessment tool.

The key training content involved working with the STeP Assessment Tool on a daily basis and creating checklists for audits, as well as drawing up test reports as a prerequisite for a uniform approach. To ensure this in practice as well, auditors who had not yet done field work for companies were accompanied and guided by an experienced colleague.

STeP Modules

Consistency in the different auditors' assessments of gradation in the individual STeP modules is especially important. They must clearly recognise and distinguish between:

• unacceptable results/conditions (no-gos)
• minimum requirements in Level 1, but which already exceed national legal requirements
• higher STeP requirements in Level 2 (average European level)
• implementation of Best Available Techniques and modern management techniques in Level 3

Since STeP certification can assimilate other, already existing management systems for cost saving at companies, various management systems were presented and commonalities worked out. In particular these include ISO 9001 (quality), 14001 (environment), OHSAS 18001 (occupational safety) and SA 8000 (social responsibility).

Quality management

The Quality Management module has been known for several years as Oeko-Tex Assurance Audit. As such it is performed every three years in support of Oeko-Tex compliant implementation within businesses for product-related Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification.

Chemical management

Oeko-Tex auditor training also includes instructions on how to build up an optimum management system for chemicals alongside their unique CAS number identification, and how businesses can efficiently implement it into routine production.

Auditors will then be able to perform a targeted check of how the chemicals are applied and to carry out proper inspections, for instance with regard to compliance with various Restricted Substances Lists (RSL). Chemical management not only includes extremely hazardous, polluting substances, but also products such as machine oils and detergents and soaps.

Environmental performance and environmental management

In the two modules on environmental performance of production processes, auditors learn all environmentally-relevant factors to successfully identify critical points at all stages of production.

Among the topics covered are safe handling and storage of chemicals, efficient use of energy sources (electricity, gas, heating oil, etc.) and water, treatment of wastewater and its discharge into public bodies of water or water treatment plants, and emissions from boiler and production facilities.

A further aspect in this context was compliance with the limit values required by STeP by Oeko-Tex and the related grading into Levels 1, 2 and 3. Another issue involved the ecological treatment of (critical) waste and the functionality of waste control, as well as the potential effects of any accidents on the environment.

Social responsibility

Using practical examples from the textile industry, auditors learn how different the social conditions at production plants can be, how complex the social aspects of audits are, which points must be paid special attention, and how to deal with difficult situations.

This subject area especially pointed out that reasonable remuneration and proper working conditions must inevitably be reflected in the pricing of the product itself.

Occupational health and safety

Depending on the processing step, production plants must take into account specific challenges relating to occupational health and safety.

They must provide for personal protective equipment (PPE) and designate working areas and production facilities with appropriate warning symbols.

Other considerations such as optimum lighting at the workplace, checking safety measures for accident prevention, and competent servicing and suitability tests of facilities and machines are also important.

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