RECOGNISING A CREDIBLE STANDARD
Sustainability standards offer a voluntary, market-based tool for addressing the most pressing social and environmental challenges of our time. But how do you know if a sustainability standard is credible? ISEAL’s Credibility Principles define the core values of credible and effective sustainability systems:
Developed through multi-stakeholder input and deliberation to ensure no bias towards a particular company, sector or group
Regularly reviewed and updated to ensure it remains relevant and effective
Transparent and provides detailed information about how the standard is developed and how it is applied
ISEAL
The SFA is a Community Member of the International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling Alliance (ISEAL).
ISEAL is the global membership organisation for ambitious, collaborative and transparent sustainability systems, and includes as members some of the most recognised and credible standards systems in the world. They define best practice for sustainability standards and similar systems through their Codes of Good Practice. Learn how the ISEAL community defines credible sustainability systems.
“A sustainability standard provides rules, guidelines or characteristics for products or related processes and production methods. Standards systems are the collective of organisations responsible for the activities involved in the implementation of a standard, including standard-setting, capacity building, assurance, labelling and monitoring and evaluation.“ ISEAL Alliance
THE SFA STANDARD SYSTEM
The SFA developed the world’s first standard system for cashmere in 2017. At the heart of the standard system were two codes of practice which outlined best practices for animal husbandry and rangeland management.
In January 2023, the SFA refreshed its standard system following the launch of its global, integrated SFA Cashmere Standard, which integrated the herder level codes of practice from Mongolia and China. Based on five global principles of responsible cashmere production, the SFA Cashmere Standard offered a holistic, comprehensive and outcome-based standard that was global in scope. This updated standard system was built upon extensive research and learning from implementing the SFA’s Codes of Practice.
In December 2024, the SFA Cashmere Standard v1.0 was replaced with the SFA Animal Fibre Standard following an extensive revision and multi-stakeholder consultation throughout 2022 to 2024. The SFA Animal Fibre Standard continues to focus on the responsible production of cashmere but allows for future growth of the SFA to expand into other animal fibre production, with consultations taking place throughout 2025-2026 on a camelid fibre scope expansion. Learn more about the SFA Animal Fibre Standard here.
GUIDANCE FOR SFA MEMBERS
Herder organisations and farms that are currently registered with the SFA will continue using the previous SFA Codes of Practice until the SFA Animal Fibre Standard becomes effective from 1st April 2025, and we recommend producers familiarise themselves with the new SFA Standard. SFA and its partners will be offering training on the standard’s implementation and assurance, visit the Training Sessions section for more information.
Within the new SFA Animal Fibre Standard, we will no longer be awarding bronze, silver and gold certificates based on compliance. Instead, the new system will include requirements for continuous improvement built into the standard. If you currently hold a bronze, silver or gold certificate, it will remain valid through to its expiration date, and certificates may continue to be awarded to those compliant with the old Codes of Practice system until the effective date of the SFA Animal Fibre Standard. Certificates achieved during that period will remain valid for 12 months before expiring.