How can the increased requirements of the Green Button’s Level B be implemented? What role does audit fatigue play in corporate due diligence? How will the Green Button evolve in the future?
These and many other questions were at the center of this year’s Green Button Exchange on May 14, 2025.

A wide range of companies offering Green Button-certified products, the Green Button Secretariat, and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) came together in Berlin to engage in co-creative dialogue and collective learning as the Green Button Community. The exchange focused on two main themes: the increased requirements of Level B and the future of the Green Button.

 

Level B – Tackling Requirements Together
The third and final part of the masterclass on the new Level B requirements of the standard made it clear: requirements are increasing – and so is the need for guidance and exchange. In interactive workshops and group work, participants addressed the following key topics:

Transparency & Information Flow in Deep Supply Chains
A central topic of discussion was the challenge of mapping one’s supply chain beyond Tier 2. Several companies reported that their suppliers were not passing on the necessary information. One insight from the exchange: transparency and active support are seen as prerequisites for collaboration with suppliers to foster incentives, trust, and accountability.

 

Cooperation with External Stakeholders
Building strong partnerships – whether with trade unions, civil society, or industry initiatives – is crucial, especially for involving local stakeholders in production countries more effectively. Participants jointly discussed what equitable cooperation looks like and how suppliers can be actively supported rather than merely confronted with requirements.

Support of suppliers

 

Grievance Mechanisms & Gap Analysis
Grievance mechanisms such as the ACCORD were positively evaluated by the participating companies – yet they also raised questions: if no complaints are received, is that an indication that there are genuinely no complaints or rather a sign of insufficient awareness or accessibility? The discussion highlighted how important it is to train on-site workers to identify issues early and to educate them about the use and functioning of grievance mechanisms.

 

Looking Ahead: The Future Development of the Green Button
The afternoon was entirely dedicated to the future development of the Green Button. The discussion centered around the vision and mission of the label going forward, as well as the challenging topic of audit fatigue.

Vision and mission

In a co-creative brainstorming session, participants collaboratively developed initial ideas and shared their perspectives on the future vision and mission of the label. One thing became clear: the Green Button should continue to provide guidance, build trust, and drive impact – both for companies and for consumers.

 

The Role of Audit Fatigue in Corporate Due Diligence
Companies shared practical insights on the increasing audit burden faced by their suppliers. Discussions revolved around which processes contribute to this overload and how companies can relieve the pressure on their supply chain partners. The exchange highlighted both the benefits and the limitations of existing audit systems: reports from schemes such as amfori or SEDEX are used and considered helpful by companies. However, it also became clear that certain issues – for instance, the assurance of freedom of association – are not adequately addressed through traditional audit methods. Especially for non-certified suppliers, supplementary tools like questionnaires are necessary to gather relevant information.

 

The Green Button in the Current Regulatory Landscape
Alongside the content-related discussions, the BMZ provided an outlook on the future development of the Green Button within the evolving legislative and regulatory environment. The new BMZ leadership explicitly supports the regulatory anchoring of corporate due diligence – through instruments such as Germany’s Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) or the upcoming EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).

The next major milestone has already been set: on September 9, 2025, the official revision of the standard will begin with the Green Button Summit. The new standard is scheduled for publication in 2027 and will be accompanied by a transition period of up to one and a half years for implementation.

 

Thank You to the Green Button Community!
The 2025 Exchange once again showed: the Green Button thrives on the ideas, questions, and suggestions of its community. The willingness to openly discuss challenges and jointly develop solutions sends a strong signal for a robust and transparent standard.

We thank all participants for their committed contributions, honest insights, and valuable input.