SGS, a leading global testing, inspection, and certification company, has announced that its laboratory in Chennai (India) has been recognised by the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) Foundation as an approved certification body to assess compliance with Levels 1, 2, and 3 of the Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL) v3.1.
This approval makes SGS the only ZDHC Foundation-recognised company in India that can provide certification for all three levels.
It’s pertinent to mention here that the ZDHC Foundation is an industry-led collaboration aimed at eliminating hazardous chemicals from fashion supply chains.
The MRSL, first published in 2014, is a harmonised list of chemical substances that are prohibited from intentional use during manufacturing and related processes. In 2017, the MRSL Conformance Guidance was issued as a companion document.
The ZDHC Foundation recently released MRSL V3.1 in March 2023, following the release of V3.0 of the MRSL and V2.0 of the MRSL Conformance Guidance in November 2022.
According to Shailesh Sharma, SGS Director for India – Softlines and Hardlines, the company has developed strong capabilities in providing Zero Discharge Holistic Solutions to clients in the textile and footwear industries, helping them address their chemical inventory and environmental challenges across their supply chains.
“The recognition by the ZDHC further strengthens SGS’s reputation as a leading provider of sustainability services in India and allows the company to offer the convenience of MRSL Levels 1, 2, and 3 certification under one roof,” commented Shailesh.
