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Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP)

Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) ... About WRAP ... WRAP's 12 Principles ... The Certification Process

Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

About WRAP

Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) is an independent, global non-profit organization dedicated to the certification of facilities engaged in lawful, humane and ethical production. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, WRAP has offices in Hong Kong and Bangladesh with representation in India.

Based on reports of improper working conditions in sewing factories in developing countries, a task force composed of members from the American Apparel Manufacturers Association, consultants, NGOs and other stakeholders began an exhaustive, three-year study of the labor and environmental conditions in sewing factories around the world in late 1996. Based hundreds of meetings across the world with numerous governments, trade associations, retailers, brand manufacturers, suppliers, trade unions and NGOs, WRAP was established in January 2000 and is today the world’s largest labor and environmental certification program for labor-intensive consumer products manufacturing and processing. WRAP enjoys the support of 25 international trade associations including the International Apparel Federation which represents 36 national associations and over 150,000 individual companies.

WRAP is a standards-setting and certification body. It has no members nor does it rely on government funding or foundation grants.

The WRAP Certification Program is based on 12 Principles focusing on local law and workplace regulations, generally accepted international workplace standards, and the environment. WRAP also includes evaluation of a facility’s customs compliance and security standards in line with the Customs - Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) Foreign Manufacturers Security Criteria of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for facilities exporting to the US. Facilities that demonstrate proper adoption, deployment and monitoring of all 12 Principles receive certification for six months to two years. The certificate applies to the individual facility, not a parent company or brand.

As stated above, WRAP focuses on compliance with local law. It is an apolitical organization and does not lobby nor advocate for issues such as freedom of association outside of local law, nor the concept of a living wage, which has not been defined. WRAP understands and respects the unique culture of each country. Therefore it is the policy that WRAP has not and will not get involved in any political issue with any country.

Facilities benefit from WRAP certification by demonstrating compliance with buyer Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) requirements. This certification clearly opens doors and creates business opportunities in today’s highly competitive global export markets. WRAP is well recognized and has been accepted by many international retailers, brand manufacturers and licensors. Manufacturers in many developing countries have treated WRAP as an “International Passport for Entry into Western Countries”.

WRAP has incorporated a significant number of “best practices” to assist facilities in becoming more efficient, productive and profitable. Finally, the overall benefits are clear: better working conditions for employees, an environmental program designed to protect the environment, and a sustainable platform to provide for future generations.

http://www.wrapapparel.org/en/wrap-12-principles-certification

WRAP 12 Principles

1. Compliance with Laws and Workplace Regulations Facilities will comply with laws and regulations in all locations where they conduct business.
2. Prohibition of Forced Labor Facilities will not use involuntary, forced or trafficked labor.
3. Prohibition of Child Labor Facilities will not hire any employee under the age of 14 or under the minimum age established by law for employment, whichever is greater, or any employee whose employment would interfere with compulsory schooling.
4. Prohibition of Harassment or Abuse Facilities will provide a work environment free of supervisory or co-worker harassment or abuse, and free of corporal punishment in any form.
5. Compensation and Benefits Facilities will pay at least the minimum total compensation required by local law, including all mandated wages, allowances & benefits.
6. Hours of Work Hours worked each day, and days worked each week, shall not exceed the limitations of the country’s law. Facilities will provide at least one day off in every seven-day period, except as required to meet urgent business needs.
7. Prohibition of Discrimination Facilities will employ, pay, promote, and terminate workers on the basis of their ability to do the job, rather than on the basis of personal characteristics or beliefs.
8. Health and Safety Facilities will provide a safe and healthy work environment. Where residential housing is provided for workers, facilities will provide safe and healthy housing.
9. Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining Facilities will recognize and respect the right of employees to exercise their lawful rights of free association and collective bargaining.
10. Environment Facilities will comply with environmental rules, regulations and standards applicable to their operations, and will observe environmentally conscious practices in all locations where they operate.
11. Customs Compliance Facilities will comply with applicable customs laws, and in particular, will establish and maintain programs to comply with customs laws regarding illegal transshipment of finished products.
12. Security Facilities will maintain facility security procedures to guard against the introduction of non-manifested cargo into outbound shipments (i.e. drugs, explosives biohazards and /or other contraband).

To apply for certification, click on 'New Application' or 'Renew Certification' (whichever is relevant to the facility in question) on top of this page.

Step 2 – Self-Assessment

The Self-Assessment Handbook can be found on the website under Handbooks. The handbooks are written in English, Spanish, and Chinese and explain WRAP’s principles and procedures. Facility management must adopt all the principles and prepare documentation that indicating that it is implementing certain procedures. When satisfied that it has complied with the requirements in the Handbook for a minimum of 90 days, the facility notifies WRAP that it is ready for monitoring.

Step 3 – Monitoring

WRAP authorizes facility management to hire an independent monitor from a list of monitoring companies and civil society organizations that regularly perform audits for compliance with policies and procedures required by third parties—in this case, WRAP. WRAP has accredited them to monitor facilities in one or more specified countries for compliance with WRAP’s detailed policies and procedures.

The facility is responsible for paying any audit fees assesed by the monitoring firm. All WRAP audits are unannounced and a facility has six months from the date of registration payment to WRAP (Step 1, above) to have the monitor submit its report and recommendation to factory management.

Step 4 – Evaluation

The WRAP staff takes one of two actions:

• WRAP Staff may notify the facility that it needs to correct certain procedures and have the monitor make an additional inspection and report. After the factory makes the corrections, it must implement them for at least 90 days before the monitoring firm conducts its follow-up inspection. If the factory does not satisfactorily implement corrective actions within the original six-month grace period (see above), it must renew its application and repay the registration fee in order to be considered for certification.
• WRAP Staff may recommend to the Certification Board that the factory be certified.

Step 5 – Certification

Certification The Certification Board (currently the Board of Directors of WRAP) studies the recommendation of the staff, including the monitor’s report, and votes to award or withhold certification. (In the latter case, the staff will proceed as in Step 4 (A), above.) During the one-year certification period, all facilities, especially those that needed a second audit, are subject to unannounced inspections

FEES

The facility bears all the costs associated with certification. Note that the only fee paid to WRAP is the registration fee (Step 1, above). The only other cost to the facility is the fee that it freely negotiates with an accredited monitor of its choice (Step 3). Only MasterCard and VISA credit cards are accepted.

CERTIFICATION LEVELS

In October 2006, WRAP announced the introduction of a new, three-level facility certification program. The purpose of this program is to award participating facilities with the appropriate level of recognition for their progress in achieving full compliance with the WRAP Production Principles over a period of time. The details are as follows: “Platinum” Certificate Awarded to a facility that has demonstrated full compliance with all WRAP principles for three consecutive years, and has successfully “passed” each audit with no corrective actions. Facilities that meet these criteria will be issued a two-year certificate. The facility will be subject to an unannounced audit during its two-year certification. Facilities must maintain continuous certification to qualify for the “Platinum” certificate. “Gold” Certificate A one-year certificate is awarded to a facility that has demonstrated full compliance with all WRAP principles during the first audit, or in subsequent audits. The one year certification begins from the date of issue of the certificate, not from the date of the audit. (The “Gold” certification is equal to WRAP’s current compliance certificate.) “Silver” Certificate A six-month certificate will be issued to facilities that demonstrate substantial compliance with the WRAP principles, but have minor non-compliances in policies, procedures or training that need to be addressed. Facilities may not have any “red flag” noncompliances such as child labor, egregious health & safety or environmental issues, prison labor, forced labor or involuntary labor, or harassment or abuse of employees. Facilities must demonstrate that employees are paid the legal minimum wage and any required overtime compensation. Qualifying facilities must request a six-month certification from the WRAP office, in writing, at the conclusion of their first formal audit. Six-month certificates will not be automatically issued.

• Qualifying facilities must reapply prior to the expiration of their six-month certificate and pay a reduced registration fee of US$895.
• A facility must demonstrate continuous improvement toward achieving full compliance as attainment of a “Gold” certificate.
• A facility may be awarded a six-month certificate for no more than three consecutive periods (maximum of 18 months). If the facility fails to achieve full compliance, they must wait for a six-month period and then reapply using their original identification number.
• The certificate awarded to the facility will specify which WRAP Principle(s) require(s) corrective action.