HR Administration

Cleaning Up Your Supply Chain

By David Ferris

Mar. 6, 2012

  • Ethical Trade International

    The Seven C’s of Ethical Sourcing.

  • Fair Labor Association Assessment Portal

    A range of tools to assess the level of code compliance of companies and suppliers.

  • Global Social Compliance Programme Reference Tools

    Best practices across industries for auditing and management.

  • BSR’s Good Practices for Complying with Licensors’ Social and Environmental Requirements
  • Good practices for complying with licensors’ social and environmental requirements.

  • Supply Chain Information-Sharing and Alliances

    These organizations exist as resources for buyers and suppliers, as well as nongovernmental organizations and labor unions, to share and manage complex data on supply chains, as well as to foster alliances across industries.

  • Ethical Trading Initiative

    London-based affiliation of corporations as well as trade unions and nongovernmental organiziations. Dominated by British companies such as retailers the Body Shop, Burberry and Marks & Spencer, but also includes U.S. retailers Gap and Men’s Wearhouse, as well as nongovernmental organizations such as Oxfam International and CARE.

  • Fair Labor Association

    The association grew out of the Apparel Industry Partnership in the 1990s to address sweatshop conditions in the clothing industry. It has a high level of transparency because it publishes the results of audits on its website. Most members are apparel companies such as Nike Inc., Puma and H&M, though its newest member is Apple Inc.

  • Global Social Compliance Program

    This program provides a service for more-sustainable supply chains in the form of reference tools that describe best practices. Members of the organization include Adidas, Best Buy Co., Dole Food Co., Hasbro Inc., Starbucks Corp., Timberland Co., Walt Disney Co. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

  • Sedex

    This not-for-profit offers an electronic system for buyers to manage information about the practices of their suppliers, and for suppliers to share data about themselves with multiple buyers. Based in Britain, its roster is heavy with large multinationals and food processors such as Cargill, Grupo Danone and Molson Coors Brewing Co.

  • Social Accountability International

    This nongovernmental organization established an international standard, SA8000, to measure and improve “social performance.” Members include retailers Eileen Fisher and Gucci, and manufacturers General Mills Inc., and Hewlett-Packard Co.

  • Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP)

    Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) Organization for the apparel and footwear industries.

  • Toys: International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI)

    Umbrella organization for the toy industry.

  • Electronics: Electronics Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC)

    Sourcing monitor for the electronics industry.

  • These companies perform “social audits” around the world. Each is part of a larger organization that does testing, certification and verification of products and processes in many industries.

  • Bureau Veritas

  • SGS

  • UL Responsible Sourcing
  • Schedule, engage, and pay your staff in one system with Workforce.com.