Document properties
Title:	First audit for textile recuperation group TESS GEIE
Date of publishing:	April 25, 2016
Hits:	8212
Category:	News
Language:	English
Also available in the following languages:	Dutch, French

First audit for textile recuperation group TESS GEIE
April 25, 2016

With the ambition of creating a solid social standard for their sector, European social textile recuperation companies have created a new association. TESS GEIE, Groupement Européen d'Intérêt Economique (European Group for Economical interest), aims to ensure that all used household textiles are collected and treated by social and solidary companies. 

For this association to be legitimate, the founders have decided to subject themselves to an independent social audit, a task gladly performed by our team at Forum ETHIBEL. All members were required to prove their social structure by complying to seven European criteria, originating from Social Economy Europe (SEE) and adapted by TESS GEIE.

After an intense and fruitful collaboration, we are proud to announce that the five European social enterprises have passed the audit with no or few remarks: Terre (ASBL) (BE), Consorzio Farsi Prossimo (Cooperativa Sociale Onlus) (IT), Fondació Formació I Treball (Fondació Privada) (ES), Le Relais Est (SCOP) (FR) and Oxfam Solidarité (ASBL) (BE). For Terre and Oxfam Solidarité, this approval was not a big surprise since they had both already received the SOLID'R certificate by Forum ETHIBEL.

Having passed the audit, the TESS GEIE members are currently setting up their association. More news and website soon to come.