D2 - Sample Documents

D2.1 Scope Certificate

D2.2 Scope Certificate Policy Guidelines

Policy and Template for Issuing Certificates of Compliance (Scope Certificates, SCs) Objective

This policy provides for mandatory instructions and notes to be followed by Certification Bodies (CBs) approved

to issue SCs in accordance with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and/or any standard that

belongs to Textile Exchange (TE). Both standard setters (the International Working Group on GOTS (IWG) and

Textile Exchange) implement this policy in their procedures. The purpose of this policy and the corresponding

templates is to unify layout, format and text among the different certifiers and standards in order to enable

an easy and practical handing and verification for all users of SCs.

The policy is to be followed and the corresponding template to be used for any SC issued after 1st September 2012.

Original Document

The individual CB’s letterhead must contain its name and address. Each CB should declare to the respective

standard setter if their original document is a paper version or a digital version or if both options are used. If

the original is a digital version the following sentence should be added at the bottom of the certificate: “This

electronically issued document is the valid original version”. The CB should further inform which (unique)

security features are used for the original version of the SC (e.g. letterhead and paper layout, watermark

etc.). Digital versions should be prepared in secure pdf mode. The CB should also provide the contact details

(and features, if applicable) for immediately verifying authenticity of the SCs. The standard setter makes this

information available to the whole group of approved certifiers.

Template

The standard setters (IWG resp TE) provide for an individual SC template for each standard.

Instructions and notes regarding the content of the SC are provided in the following:

Format

Wording, size of letters and structure is to be used as provided with the attached template. The font is not

prescribed. Further instructions and comments to the content:

Content

1st page

Title

The document is called ‘Certificate of Compliance’ with ‘Scope certificate’ in brackets. Other terms (such as

company certificate) are not used.

The standards according to which the SC is issued are to be named as following:

• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

• Organic Exchange 100 (OE 100)

• Organic Exchange Blended (OE Blended)

• Global Recycle Standard (GRS)

• Content Claim Standard (CCS)

A SC can only be issued for one standard.