ZDHC Approved Assessment Provider - Application Criteria (Individual CV Requirements)

This article explains the minimum requirements for an individual to become a ZDHC Approved Assessor/Reviewer.

Familiarise yourself with this new approval by viewing the ZDHC Approved Assessment Provider - Overview article to have a full understanding of the programme before starting your application.

Approval Structure

The ZDHC Approved Assessment Provider approval operates at both organisational and individual assessor levels, ensuring that services are delivered by qualified professionals within capable organisations and allowing the activation of multiple solution modules based on the capacity.

Approval of the organisation as well as the individual Assessors/Reviewers CV (Curriculum Vitae) is necessary to activate the services.

Available Service Modules and Timelines

Assessment approval allows activation of multiple modules for both desktop and on-site assessment (more to be added in the future):

Approval starts: You may begin the approval application process for this service module.

Service delivery: This service can be delivered only starting from this date.

Service Module	Approval Start	Service Delivery
Supplier to Zero	July 2026	July 2026
MMCF	July 2026	Jan 2027
Dissolved Pulp	July 2026	Jan 2027
Recycled Polyester	July 2026	Jan 2027
ETP	August 2026	September 2026

Applicability of the requirements

All requirements apply to both desktop and on-site activities without distinction.

Some requirements may differ between regular and lead Assessors/Reviewers

Based on the service module:

The requirement can be:

applicable

not applicable

Or there can be a number of years of experience or audits that represent the minimum threshold (e.g. 3 years)

Lead and Regular Assessor/Reviewer Role

A Lead Assessor/Reviewer is the organisation’s responsible person for all Assessors/Reviewers for a specific service, and is the primary point of contact with ZDHC for clarifications/ quality controls on ongoing or completed projects. (Only services with an approved, qualified Lead Assessor/Reviewer can be offered by your organisation).

Regular Assessors/Reviewers are qualified to deliver the service but are not responsible for the Lead Assessor/Reviewer duties.

Both Lead and Regular Assessors/Reviewers may conduct the required internal peer review, provided they hold the same competencies as the Lead Assessor/Reviewer for that service.

Requirements categories

There are 5 requirements categories that an individual aspiring to become ZDHC Approved Assessor/Reviewer must fulfil.

Educational Background
Work Experience
Technical Competency
Training and Certification
Maintenance of Qualification

See them in detail:

Individual CV - Curriculum Vitae Requirements

The Assessor/Reviewer shall fulfil all the following criteria to be approved:

1. Educational Background
	Supplier to Zero	MMCF	Dissolved Pulp	Recycled Polyester	ETP
Have an education title equal to or higher than a post-secondary qualification (minimum 2 years) in at least one or multiple of the following disciplines:
• Chemistry	✅	✕	✕	✕	✕
• Chemical Engineering	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
• Chemical Technology	✅	✅	✅	✅	✕
• Environmental Science	✅	✕	✕	✕	✕
• Environmental Engineering	✅	✕	✕	✕	✅
• Textile Technology	✅	✕	✕	✕	✕
• Textile Chemistry	✅	✅	✅	✅	✕
• Leather Technology	✅	✕	✕	✕	✕
• Leather Chemistry	✅	✕	✕	✕	✕
• Industrial Chemistry	✅	✅	✅	✅	✕
• Industrial / Manufacturing Engineering	✕	✅	✅	✅	✅
• Pulp & Paper Technology	✕	✕	✅	✕	✕
• Polymer Technology	✕	✕	✕	✅	✕
• Polymer Science	✕	✕	✕	✅	✕
• or equivalent	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅

2. Work Experience
	Supplier to Zero	MMCF	Dissolved Pulp	Recycled Polyester	ETP
Have a minimum number of years of industrial experience in one or more of the following fields:
REGULAR Assessor/Reviewer	3 years	3 years	3 years	3 years	5 years
LEAD Assessor/Reviewer	5 years	5 years	5 years	5 years	5 years
• Environmental	✅	✕	✕	✕	✕
• Chemical	✅	✕	✕	✕	✕
• Health & safety	✅	✕	✕	✕	✕
• Audits/assessments in the textile, leather, footwear, or apparel industries	✅	✕	✕	✕	✕
• EHS in fibre or chemical plants	✕	✅	✕	✕	✕
• End-to-end of MMCF production	✕	✅	✅	✕	✕
• Chemical manufacturing	✕	✅	✅	✅	✕
• Environmental management in manufacturing	✕	✅	✅	✕	✕
• Process safety	✕	✅	✅	✕	✕
• EHS in pulp or chemical plants	✕	✕	✅	✕	✕
• End-to-end Dissolving grade pulp production	✕	✕	✅	✕	✕
• Polyester production and recycling pathways	✕	✕	✕	✅	✕
• Polymer research	✕	✕	✕	✅	✕
• Mechanical and chemical polymer recycling operations	✕	✕	✕	✅	✕
• Environmental management in polymer manufacturing	✕	✕	✕	✅	✕
• Process safety/EHS in fibre/polymer/chemical plants	✕	✕	✕	✅	✕
• Wastewater treatment	✕	✕	✕	✕	✅
Have a minimum number of years of audit/assessment/compliance/verification experience in one or more of the following fields:
REGULAR Assessor/Reviewer	1 year	1 year	1 year	1 year	N/A
LEAD Assessor/Reviewer	3 years	3 years	3 years	3 years	3 years
• Chemistry	✅	✕	✕	✕	✕
• Chemical/environmental engineering	✅	✅	✅	✅	✕
• MMCF plant and processes	✕	✅	✅	✕	✕
• GRS/ RCS of recycled polyester plant and processes	✕	✕	✕	✅	✕
• ETP including identifying inefficiencies in wastewater treatment technologies	✕	✕	✕	✕	✅
Have completed a minimum number of audits in the field of:	Textile, leather, footwear, or apparel industries	Chemical Industry	Chemical Industry	GRS/RCS Industry	ETP
REGULAR Assessor/Reviewer	10 / last year	2 / last year	2 / last year	2 / last year	N/A
LEAD Assessor/Reviewer	30 / overall	5 / overall	5 / overall	5 / overall	N/A

3. Technical Competency
	Supplier to Zero	MMCF	Dissolved Pulp	Recycled Polyester	ETP
Have an understanding of the following topics, including the information relevant to the specific Module when applicable:
• Chemical management systems	✅	✅	✅	✅	✕
• Environmental compliance and sustainability practices	✅	✅	✅	✅	✕
• Occupational health and safety practices	✅	✅	✅	✅	✕
• Local regulatory and legal frameworks in the country/region of assessment/audit	✅	✅	✅	✅	✕
• ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme, ZDHC relevant Guidelines and Supplier platform	✅	✅	✅	✅	✕
• Waste and wastewater treatment systems and air emission control systems	✕	✅	✅	✅	✕
• Textile Exchange's GRS & new Material Matter Standard	✕	✅	✅	✅	✕
• Chemical recovery processes	✕	✅	✅	✅	✕
• MMCF plants and processes (viscose/modal/lyocell/cupro/acetate) facilities	✕	✅	✕	✕	✕
• Raw material traceability and inventory verification	✕	✅	✕	✕	✕
• Dissolving grade pulp production processes and key operational stages	✕	✕	✅	✕	✕
• Pulping chemistry and bleaching chemistry	✕	✕	✅	✕	✕
• Chemical recovery, recovery boiler, evaporator, recausticizing, and lime kiln systems	✕	✕	✅	✕	✕
• Polymer recycling processes, such as mechanical thermomechanical processes	✕	✕	✕	✅	✕
• Depolymerisation techniques such as glycolysis, methanolysis, and hydrolysis, etc.	✕	✕	✕	✅	✕
• Purification, monomer recovery, re-polymerisation, and solvent handling	✕	✕	✕	✅	✕
• Recycling feedstock traceability systems and inventory verification	✕	✕	✕	✅	✕
• Effluent treatment processes (physical, chemical and biological treatments specific to textile and/or leather wet processing).	✕	✕	✕	✕	✅
• Regulatory standards (local, national and mandatory international regulations and self-volunteered or brand-driven sustainability standards/initiatives for wastewater discharge)	✕	✕	✕	✕	✅
• Efficiency metrics (assessment and interpretation of ETP’s metrics, such as Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), and other relevant parameters).	✕	✕	✕	✕	✅
• Tools and techniques (including methods used for assessing ETPs and understanding of industry best practices and emerging technologies in wastewater treatment).	✕	✕	✕	✕	✅
Have professional fluency in the local language of the facility and English, both spoken and written	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Have basic data management, analytical, and computer literacy skills	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅

4. Training and Certification
	Supplier to Zero	MMCF	Dissolved Pulp	Recycled Polyester	ETP
LEAD ASSESSOR/REVIEWER ONLY:
• Have completed ISO 19011-based internal or external training on audit techniques or equivalent	✅	✅	✅	✅	✕
• Hold certifications in water and wastewater management from recognised institutes, government organisations, or similar credentials.	✕	✕	✕	✕	✅
• Have completed specialised coursework in wastewater treatment or environmental management.	✕	✕	✕	✕	✅
Complete the relevant Module ZDHC Training via ZDHC Academy, including passing the associated exam once approved (post approval)	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Complete the annual refresher training (webinars/e-learning as mandated by ZDHC)	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅

5. Maintenance of Qualification
	Supplier to Zero	MMCF	Dissolved Pulp	Recycled Polyester	ETP
Conduct at least one assessment per calendar year	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Complete any required onboarding, refresher exams or e-learning	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Participate in ZDHC training webinars or updates	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅

If your CV fulfils all the criteria, and your organisation is approved as a ZDHC Assessment provider, the submission can start.

See the article ZDHC Approved Assessment Provider - Application Procedure and Fee to do the next steps.

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ZDHC Approved Assessment Provider - Application Criteria (Individual CV Requirements)

Approval Structure

Available Service Modules and Timelines

Applicability of the requirements

Lead and Regular Assessor/Reviewer Role

Requirements categories

Individual CV - Curriculum Vitae Requirements

The Assessor/Reviewer shall fulfil all the following criteria to be approved:

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