What best practices have you seen for driving ZDHC programme adoption in SME-dominated supply chains?
In many regions, especially South and Southeast Asia, the supply chain is dominated by small and medium enterprises (SMEs). While the ZDHC programme offers strong frameworks, adoption remains a challenge due to limited technical capacity, infrastructure, and cost sensitivity. I'm interested to hear from others: •What practical steps or models have worked in supporting SME onboarding? •Are there any specific capacity-building approaches, incentives, or tools you’ve found effective? •How can we ensure measurable progress without overburdening suppliers with reporting fatigue?
I'd be interested in knowing whether expanded engagement through local technical universities or forming small groups of SME's that can begin the journey together and share the learnings with each might be effective?
Business value first, peer networks, visual documentation, and local language support work best. SMEs adopt when they see immediate cost savings, not just compliance requirements. They don't resist ZDHC - they resist failure. Start with one chemical category, prove ROI, then expand gradually. Photos beat paperwork. Quarterly outcomes matter more than daily documentation. What dropout patterns are you seeing - cost barriers or technical overwhelm?
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