EmpCo Directive: Independent certification by Hohenstein
EU Directive 2024/825 (EmpCo) requires, with effect from 27 September 2026, that sustainability labels be based on transparent certification schemes involving independent third-party verification.
Hohenstein meets this requirement as a conformity assessment body within the OEKO-TEX® system:
- Functional separation of standard-setting and certification:
As the system owner, OEKO-TEX AG defines the test criteria. Hohenstein carries out tests, audits and certifications independently, at its own expense and at its own risk. - Personnel incompatibility:
Members of Hohenstein’s management board may not belong to any governing body of OEKO-TEX AG, and vice versa. This incompatibility is enshrined in binding regulations. - Accreditation in accordance with international standards:
Hohenstein is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025; this ensures the competence and impartiality of its certification activities independently of OEKO-TEX AG. - In-house compliance structures:
Hohenstein maintains a risk management system for conflicts of interest, an independence committee and an anonymous whistleblowing scheme – in addition to the independence council of OEKO-TEX AG. - Annual review:
Hohenstein continuously reviews whether its own certification practices comply with the requirements of the EmpCo Guidelines and their national implementation.
Evidence:
- Independence Charter of Hohenstein Laboratories GmbH & Co. KG (German)
- Declaration of Commitment to Safeguarding the Independence and Impartiality of Hohenstein Laboratories GmbH & Co. KG (German)
This structure ensures that certification decisions are made independently of commercial interests – the basis for credible, EmpCo-compliant sustainability claims.