Offering new training modules, innovative instructional approaches, and many opportunities for content customisation, the e-learning platform of the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF), founded by Prof. Dr Michael Otto, pursues the goals of ensuring the reliable implementation of The Good Cashmere Standard and of improving the situation of producers, animals, and the environment through effective knowledge transfer.

The digital training platform of the Aid by Trade Foundation provides partnering trainers, auditors, and producers with free and automatic access to a comprehensive training programme. It includes introductory courses on the core elements of The Good Cashmere Standards (GCS) as well as training materials on various aspects of animal welfare. A knowledge library is also available, containing documents such as the standard in its entirety.

“The high volume of positive feedback from our auditors and producers, as well as the usage of training materials that can be downloaded and printed out for the herders, show how important the e-learning platform is for an impact-oriented organisation like us,” says Figo Li, the GCS representative in China, adding: “As an innovative knowledge hub, the e-learning platform enables our partners to develop valuable expertise to meet the ever-growing challenges they face. A multifaceted and dependable approach to implementation forms the basis of our success and of our reputation as a reliable and solution-oriented standards organisation.”

The e-learning platform is steadily being refined and expanded, with its modules now featuring interactive elements and quizzes in addition to videos and images. The focus is on user-friendliness and individuality, meaning that the users themselves determine which learning goal they want to achieve or which webinar they want to complete, for instance, selecting and scheduling them depending on their personal needs, level of knowledge, and time constraints.

“An important new feature of the platform is its modular system, which gives trainers the opportunity to design training courses individually, such as an animal-welfare course for herders that is tailored to local conditions and to the trainers’ needs,” says Vanessa Löwenich, the project manager for GCS training and implementation at the Aid by Trade Foundation.

Since its introduction in 2022, the e-learning platform has been growing continuously. In future, it will be used for all AbTF standards as it plays a key role in providing partners with the necessary tools and knowledge to address specific requirements within the scope of the standards. What does an Inner Mongolian model farm for cashmere goats actually look like? How can the use of sustainably produced cashmere fibres be verified? And how do goat herders in Inner Mongolia protect biodiversity in their environment? Learn more about sustainable cashmere production at the 2025 Good Cashmere Conference in Hamburg. Explore one of the model farms in Inner Mongolia through virtual reality, and hear international speakers give exclusive insights into the topics of biodiversity, animal welfare, and virtual reality as well as due diligence in the supply chain.

www.thegoodcashmerestandard.org

www.aidbytrade.org