Responsible Sourcing Network
Responsible Sourcing Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs YESS, an OECD-aligned due diligence initiative to eliminate forced labor from cotton yarn and fabric mills, serving global brands, mills, and NGOs across South Asia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersBerkeley, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Responsible Sourcing Network does
Responsible Sourcing Network (RSN), legally Responsible Sourcing Network, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Berkeley, California (EIN 27-0727686). The company confronts human rights abuses and forced labor connected to raw materials in products, with two principal programs: (1) YESS (Yarn Ethically & Sustainably Sourced), an OECD-aligned due diligence initiative targeting the Tier 2/3 cotton yarn spinning and fabric mill tier where materials from multiple origins converge, and (2) Mining the Disclosures, an annual evaluation of companies' conflict minerals reporting.
YESS is built on the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector and consists of proprietary YESS Standards (v1.0 for Fabric Mills, v2.0 for Spinning Mills), a library of 15+ assessment workbooks and checklists (standard review, KYS, supply chain risk, forced labor, due diligence management), a member-only YESS Portal, a public YESS Participating Mills List, and a Sumerra-hosted e-learning training platform. Third-party assessments are managed by Sumerra through approved auditors including ARCHE Advisors, ASSESS International, and TÜV Rheinland, with operations currently spanning India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Vietnam.
Revenue is generated through YESS membership fees (multi-stakeholder subscription model, prices not publicly disclosed), foundation and government grants (Humanity United, Disney, Fair Labor Association, U.S. Department of Labor via Verité's STREAMS Project), and donations. The organization is led by CEO Patricia Jurewicz and supported by a small staff of approximately five, with a Board of Directors recently expanded in December 2025. Customers include six founding brand members (adidas, Walmart, INDITEX, The Walt Disney Company, Amazon, Fanatics), 35 participating mills as of September 2025, NGO/industry associations (Verité, USFIA), and academic stakeholders.
Responsible Sourcing Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Responsible Sourcing Network
- Legal name
- Responsible Sourcing Network, Inc.
- Website
- https://sourcingnetwork.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Responsible Sourcing Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs YESS, an OECD-aligned due diligence initiative to eliminate forced labor from cotton yarn and fabric mills, serving global brands, mills, and NGOs across South Asia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Responsible Sourcing Network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Supply Chain Due Diligence Services
- NAICS
- Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Supply Chain Sustainability & Responsible Sourcing (SMETA, supplier ESG) (EUAHAJAE)
Keywords
Where Responsible Sourcing Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berkeley
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Responsible Sourcing Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- YESS Membership Fees: Multi-stakeholder membership model where brands, mills, NGOs, industry associations, and academics pay membership fees to access YESS framework, training, assessments, and working groups. 70% of surveyed stakeholders welcomed the shift to membership model.
- Grants and Foundation Funding: Funding support from foundations and government agencies including Humanity United, Disney, Fair Labor Association (FLA), and U.S. Department of Labor via the STREAMS Project managed by Verité.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | YESS Membership - Multi-stakeholder participation |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Responsible Sourcing Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RSN develops and operates the YESS (Yarn Ethically & Sustainably Sourced) due diligence initiative, providing OECD-aligned standards, third-party assessments, e-learning training, and a participating mills list to help brands, mills, and other stakeholders identify and address forced labor risks at the Tier 2/T3 cotton spinning and fabric milling tier. It also produces the annual Mining the Disclosures report evaluating companies' conflict minerals reporting under Section 1502, and the Investing to End Modern Slavery investor resources.
Product overview
Responsible Sourcing Network operates as a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of due diligence frameworks and tools rather than a unified software platform. The core offering is YESS: Yarn Ethically & Sustainably Sourced, a multi-stakeholder initiative that provides standards, e-learning courses, and assessment tools for spinning and fabric mills to eliminate forced labor from cotton supply chains. YESS consists of standards documents, the YESS Portal (member-only resource hub), the YESS Participating Mills List (public registry), and Mill Training E-Learning courses. The organization also runs a Minerals Program with Mining the Disclosures reports and Investing to End Modern Slavery publications. These products work together to provide supply chain stakeholders with due diligence frameworks, training resources, assessment tools, and industry research.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- YESS (Yarn Ethically & Sustainably Sourced): A due diligence initiative by RSN to eliminate forced labor from cotton supply chains by equipping spinning mills and fabric mills with risk-based due diligence framework, capacity building, and annual assessments aligned with OECD Due Diligence Guidance
- Mining the Disclosures
- Investing to End Modern Slavery
Products and services
- YESS: Yarn Ethically & Sustainably Sourced A multi-stakeholder due diligence initiative that equips yarn spinning mills and cotton fabric weaving/knitting mills with a risk-based framework, capacity building tools, and annual third-party assessments to eliminate forced labor from cotton supply chains. Membership is open to brands, mills, NGOs, industry associations, academics, and service providers.
- YESS Standards for Spinning & Fabric Mills Practical OECD-aligned framework documents that assess operations and sourcing procedures of cotton yarn spinning mills and weaving/knitting fabric mills, guiding mills to identify, assess, and address forced labor risks. Includes YESS Standard for Spinning Mills v2.0 and YESS Standard for Fabric Mills v1.0.
- YESS Portal Member-only online portal providing access to webinar recordings, slide decks, quizzes, and resources for spinning and fabric mills preparing for YESS Assessments.
- YESS Participating Mills List Publicly-available registry of yarn and fabric mill suppliers participating in the YESS due diligence initiative, with status and assessment details accessible to YESS members. Provides transparency into which mills have undergone third-party YESS assessments.
- YESS Mill Training E-Learning Online learning courses hosted on Sumerra's training platform providing training for spinning and fabric mills on policy and procedure development, due diligence implementation, and YESS standards, with quizzes, progress tracking, and 5 seats per mill membership.
- Mining the Disclosures Annual evaluation of companies' activities to address conflict minerals, including their risk management, human rights impact, and reporting quality under Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act.
- Investing to End Modern Slavery Reports Reports and roadmap resources providing guidance and case studies on tools and documents used by companies, investors, and other stakeholders to identify and address modern slavery in manufacturing supply chains.
Quantifiable outcome
- YESS quadrupled participating mills from 8 to 35 in one year (2024-2025), demonstrating rapid adoption and industry momentum.
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Responsible Sourcing Network
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Responsible Sourcing Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Responsible Sourcing Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- adidascoreadidas is a founding brand member of YESS first cohort. As a member, adidas participates in implementing due diligence in their cotton supply chains through the YESS framework.
- WalmartcoreWalmart is a founding YESS brand member. Vice President of Responsible Sourcing Kristen Albertson stated YESS will help increase transparency, build capabilities, and manage risks in the yarn supply chain.
- INDITEXcoreINDITEX is a founding brand member of the first YESS cohort, committing to implement due diligence practices through the YESS framework.
- The Walt Disney CompanycoreThe Walt Disney Company is a YESS brand member participating in the first cohort to implement due diligence in cotton supply chains.
- Fanatics ApparelcoreFanatics Apparel is a founding YESS brand member in the first cohort, committed to ethical sourcing through the YESS framework.
- AmazoncoreAmazon is listed as a YESS member brand actively participating in implementing due diligence in the cotton supply chain.
- Nishat MillscoreNishat Mills is a Pakistani spinning mill that underwent inaugural YESS assessments in Pakistan in 2023. Published Cotton Sourcing Policies in English and Urdu on their website demonstrating transparency commitments.
- RaymondcoreRaymond (Raymond Denim) is an Indian manufacturer that joined YESS as an initial mill member. Participated in assessments as part of establishing due diligence practices.
- U.S. Fashion Industry Association (USFIA)coreUSFIA is a YESS member and Advisory Committee member. President Julia Hughes noted YESS fills a missing piece for accountability at every step along the cotton value chain.
- ARCHE AdvisorscoreARCHE Advisors is one of the approved third-party auditor firms conducting YESS assessments. Auditors are managed through the Sumerra oversight body.
- ASSESS InternationalcoreASSESS International is one of the approved third-party auditor firms conducting YESS assessments. Part of the auditor network managed by Sumerra.
- TÜV RheinlandcoreTÜV Rheinland is one of the approved third-party auditor firms conducting YESS assessments. Auditors coordinated through the Sumerra oversight system.
- SumerracoreRSN partnered with audit management company Sumerra to scale YESS globally. Sumerra manages YESS auditors and coordinates assessments worldwide. The partnership enables RSN to leverage existing infrastructure and relationships for efficient scaling. Sumerra currently manages audits for SLCP, Cascale, and Ethical Supplier Engagement Program (ESEP). Jason Roberts, CEO of Sumerra, stated commitment to training auditors and driving positive impact up the supply chain.
- VeritécoreVerité collaborates with RSN on the STREAMS Project (Supply Chain Tracing and Engagement Methodologies) funded by U.S. Department of Labor. Verité conducted YESS assessments in India and supported isotope testing pilot with Oritain. Verité is also a YESS member.
- Shahi ExportscoreShahi Exports partnered with RSN for the first YESS assessments in India in 2023. India's largest apparel manufacturer (115,000+ employees, 50+ facilities) piloted YESS standards in 2022 and became the first Indian mill to undergo assessment. Partnership aims to build transparent and forced labor-free supply chain for cotton.
- Sree Santhosh GarmentscoreSree Santhosh Garments is an Indian manufacturer that underwent YESS assessments in India in 2023 as part of the STREAMS project with Verité.
- ELEVATE (LRQA Company)coreELEVATE conducted inaugural YESS assessments in Pakistan in 2023 as part of the Global Trace Protocol (GTP) project. ELEVATE is an LRQA company providing supply chain sustainability services.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Responsible Sourcing Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fair Labor Association: Multi-stakeholder nonprofit that accredits brands and conducts independent assessments of working conditions in apparel supply chains. Directly comparable to RSN as a similarly sized nonprofit running a participation-based due diligence program in the same industry, and is itself a YESS supporter.
- Better Work (ILO/IFC): ILO/IFC joint program improving labor standards in global apparel and footwear supply chains through factory assessments and capacity building. Comparable to RSN as a multi-stakeholder due diligence initiative that assesses and trains apparel suppliers, with a similar public-purpose mission.
- Textile Exchange: Nonprofit operating the largest multi-stakeholder standards system for preferred fibers and materials in apparel. Comparable to RSN as a standards-body serving yarn and fabric mills, with a closely overlapping member base of brands and suppliers.
- Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP): Multi-stakeholder initiative converging social and labor data collection across apparel and footwear. Highly comparable to YESS as a convergence/assessment framework already managed by Sumerra, creating direct overlap on auditor infrastructure and brand-side buyer needs.
- Cascale (formerly Sustainable Apparel Coalition): Industry coalition of apparel and footwear brands, retailers, manufacturers, and NGOs driving sustainability measurement through the Higg Index. Also managed in part by Sumerra; comparable as a multi-stakeholder sustainability framework directly relevant to the same member set as YESS.
- Sedex: Member-driven platform for sharing ethical supply chain data, including the SMETA audit methodology. Comparable to YESS as a purpose-built platform for supplier due diligence assessments used by overlapping brand and supplier audiences.
- Verité: Nonprofit research and advocacy organization focused on labor rights in global supply chains, and a YESS partner running the STREAMS project. Strongly comparable in mission and footprint, with deep overlap in target geographies (India, Pakistan) and mill-tier assessments.
Broad incumbents
- BSR (Business for Social Responsibility): Sustainability consultancy advising large multinationals on supply chain human rights and ESG strategy. Comparable as a broader incumbent adjacent to YESS, with overlapping brand-side clients but a much wider scope (global, cross-industry, advisory-driven).
- ELEVATE (an LRQA company): Global supply chain sustainability services provider that conducted YESS's inaugural Pakistan assessments in 2023. Comparable as an assessment and audit incumbent in the same mill tier, though operating as a commercial firm rather than a nonprofit.
- TÜV Rheinland: Global testing, inspection, and certification body running approved YESS assessments. Comparable as an established certification incumbent offering overlapping supplier audit services, though at materially greater scale and across many industries.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Responsible Sourcing Network social profiles
Digital presenceResponsible Sourcing Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Responsible Sourcing Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Responsible Sourcing Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Responsible Sourcing Network M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Responsible Sourcing Network
What does Responsible Sourcing Network do?
RSN develops and operates the YESS (Yarn Ethically & Sustainably Sourced) due diligence initiative, providing OECD-aligned standards, third-party assessments, e-learning training, and a participating mills list to help brands, mills, and other stakeholders identify and address forced labor risks at the Tier 2/T3 cotton spinning and fabric milling tier. It also produces the annual Mining the Disclosures report evaluating companies' conflict minerals reporting under Section 1502, and the Investing to End Modern Slavery investor resources.
Is Responsible Sourcing Network a public or private company?
Responsible Sourcing Network is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Responsible Sourcing Network founded?
Responsible Sourcing Network was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Responsible Sourcing Network based?
Responsible Sourcing Network is headquartered in Berkeley, United States, in the North America region.
How does Responsible Sourcing Network make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. YESS Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are grants and Foundation Funding.
Who are Responsible Sourcing Network's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fair Labor Association, Better Work (ILO/IFC), Textile Exchange, Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP), Cascale (formerly Sustainable Apparel Coalition), Sedex and Verité. Broad incumbents are BSR (Business for Social Responsibility), ELEVATE (an LRQA company) and TÜV Rheinland.
Does Responsible Sourcing Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for Responsible Sourcing Network.
What industry is Responsible Sourcing Network in?
Responsible Sourcing Network's product category is Supply Chain Due Diligence Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAHAJAE, Supply Chain Sustainability & Responsible Sourcing (SMETA, supplier ESG). Its NAICS code is 5417.