For small and mid-sized businesses in particular, this has translated into administrative strain. Compliance teams are required to respond to overlapping information requests from different retail partners, with limited alignment on methodology or definitions. The result is inefficiency and, in some cases, confusion about what constitutes robust due diligence.
A new joint initiative is seeking to reduce that friction. TrusTrace, working with seven European-based retailers and in collaboration with Cascale and Fair Wear, has launched a unified HREDD self-assessment questionnaire alongside a free digital platform, One Retail Hub. The aim is to replace fragmented reporting processes with a shared framework and a common channel for data exchange.
The consolidated questionnaire brings together requirements that brands would typically receive separately from multiple retail partners into a single, standardised assessment. Built on OECD due diligence guidance and aligned with sector-specific standards, it establishes a consistent baseline for evaluating ethical sourcing and supply chain management systems.
For brands, this reduces the need to interpret and respond to multiple retailer-specific formats. For retailers, it provides a more structured view of how partners are addressing human rights and environmental risks. The alignment also sharpens expectations, outlining what robust HREDD systems should include and where accountability sits across the value chain.
Cascale and Fair Wear contributed technical expertise to the questionnaire’s development, with a focus on ensuring it reflects existing global guidance while remaining practical for day-to-day implementation.
One Retail Hub is designed to operationalise the questionnaire. Rather than treating HREDD as a periodic compliance task, the platform allows brands to update information as policies and processes evolve, maintaining a live record of due diligence performance.
The system also includes AI-assisted tools that can draw on existing sustainability documentation to help populate responses, helping reduce manual input. Completed assessments can be shared directly with participating retailers through the same platform, creating a centralised channel for communication.
In addition to collecting information, the platform provides real-time feedback that highlights gaps and areas requiring remediation. The intent is to move beyond data submission and support ongoing risk management and corrective action.
