Q&A on BSCI 2.0
Joining BSCI organization means a business opportunity, which is not only radically reduce the frequency of social audit, but also let more and more suppliers see your company’s responsibility to society to the situation. In 2015, BSCI Code of Conduct 2014 was launched and BSCI 2.0 went into effect on May 1, 2015. According to the latest international guidelines on business and human rights, such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, stipulates the reinforced Code of Conduct with 11 labor principles, and asks participants to go beyond monitoring to empower themselves and their producers and engage transparently with stakeholders. As below, SGS experts sum up some BSCI common problems for you.
Q: Is BSCI a certificate, a label or a standard?
A: BSCI does not issue any certificate or label. The BSCI does not certify or “accredit” auditing companies, nor do we carry out audits ourselves. The BSCI provides a common Code of Conduct and a development-oriented system to achieve gradual improvement in the working conditions of supply chains. Therefore the BSCI can be considered as a label standard. The BSCI development-oriented system is based on three pillars: monitoring of non-compliances by external independent audits, empowering of supply chains´ actors through various capacity-building activities and engagement with relevant stakeholders via constructive dialogue in Europe and in supplying countries.
Q: What is Zero tolerance issues in BSCI 2.0?
A: According to BSCI Code of Conduct, zero tolerance issues can be:
- Flagrant human rights violations
- Flagrant unethical behavior that compromises the integrity of the BSCI Audit
- Found at the production facility as well as at the employer-provided housing that is checked as part of a factory or farm visit
- Definition of Zero Tolerance issues
1) Child Labor
• Workers who are younger than 15 years old (or the legal minimum age defined by the country, e.g. 14)
• Workers younger than 18 who are subjected to the worst forms of child labor (forced labor, prostitution, pornography and illegal activities)
2) Bonded Labor and inhumane treatment
• Not allowing workers to leave the workplace against their will, including when they are forced to work overtime against their will
• Use of violence or the threat of violence to intimidate workers to force them to work
• Inhumane or degrading treatment, corporal punishment (including sexual violence), mental or physical coercion and/or verbal abuse
3) Occupational Health and Safety
• Occupational health and safety violations that pose an imminent and significant threat to workers’ health, safety and/or lives
4) Unethical behavior
• Attempted bribery of auditors
• Intentional misrepresentation in the supply chain (e.g. hiding production sites) - To be considered zero tolerance, all these issues must be:
• Flagrant at the time of the audit
• Factual and proven
Q: What do companies have to do to get in compliance?
A:
1) Learn about the audit coverage and standard.
2) Learn local law and rules requirement.
3) Prepare BSCI policy according to BSCI Code and implement it strictly.
4) Check implementation situation periodically and improve all non-compliance issues timely.
Q: How to judge the rating of BSCI and its influence?
A:
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