STeP by OEKO-TEX® certificate awarded to Turkish company who demonstrate an exceptional level of commitment to Sustainable Textile Production
Sustainability is frequently the most important issue when companies try to position themselves as responsible actors on a global scale. The Turkish company, İstikbal Mobilya SAN. VE TIC. A.S., received the STeP by OEKO-TEX® certificate for its deep commitment to environmental protection, sustainability and social responsibility. İstikbal is now in the position to communicate its achievements with regard to environmental protection and social responsibility to the public in a credible way.
İstikbal Mobilya SAN. VE TIC. A.S. is one of Turkey’s leading furniture companies. İstikbal’s textiles division produces mattresses of various qualities and sizes, bed linen, duvets, pillows and linen for cots and children’s beds under the brand names ‘İstikbal’ and ‘Bellona’. It manufactures a special line of products aimed at the tourism sector and supplies hotels and resorts. İstikbal is Turkey’s leading mattress manufacturer and one of the top producers of household textiles. The company began a move towards using more efficient and sustainable processes in 2006. The management systems that it has implemented (e.g. EN ISO 9001 quality management system, EN ISO 14001 environmental management system and OHSAS 18001 occupational health and safety management system) make sure that the company’s processes are continuously improved. The company’s current certification was taken into consideration when issuing its STeP by OEKO-TEX® certification and had an impact on how the modules were scored.
For STeP certification, all of the areas of the company that are of relevance with regard to sustainable production and social conditions are first analysed using a web-based assessment tool. This includes the handling of chemicals and possible hazardous materials, environmental performance measured using a wide range of criteria, the implementation of an environmental management system, company responsibility in relation to employees, efficient quality management and safety in the workplace. During the subsequent audit of the production facilities, the specifications provided by the company are verified on site by OEKO-TEX® auditors and a detailed audit report is created. The results of the individual areas are collected and displayed together in a clear overall scoring system on the issued STeP certificate. The analysis also provides companies with a clear picture of where they stand and the areas in which they could improve.