SLCP factory audit

SLCP stands for Social and Labor Convergence Project, Social Labor Integration Project, made possible by the Sustainable Clothing Alliance (SAC), The first signatories include Nike, Adidas, Target, WRAP, a standards holding organization, and Sedex, a non-profit group of supply chain improvement experts. SLCP itself is just an industry standard. SLCP did not develop its own IT platform and used the IT platform of another institution for verification. At present, SLCP has three hosting platforms, namely AH AccreditedHost, an accredited hosting platform, which is FFC/SEDEX/SAC HIGG.

Since 2018, the SAC has in SLCP ConvergedAssessmentFramework Higg (CAF) instead of their own tools factory social and labor module (FSLM), become the updated Higg FSLM pillar, The SLCP issues have been integrated into the updated Higg FSLM, which enables the validation method developed by SLCP. Therefore, if the customer needs SLCP factory inspection, it can be achieved through Higg FSLM verification. One of the concepts of the SLCP is to reduce repeated audits in the industry through a unified program that covers labor, health and safety, but not environmental protection. For environmental verification, refer to the Higg FEM.

The data on the SLCP platform is confidential and it is up to the factory to decide whether to share the SLCP validated evaluation data with the approved hosting platform. The biggest advantage of SLCP is information sharing, many brands become SLCP signing parties, using the same standard, reduce repeated factory audit, information is easy to share.

Basic overview of BSCI certification

SLCP evaluation cycle:

All validation cycles are about 3-4 weeks, and no more than 8 weeks at the latest. The self-evaluation text document is complicated and needs to be carried out within 2 weeks. Manufacturers can select self-evaluation or select audit companies for collaborative evaluation. The verification time can be booked or not booked, but the self-evaluation must be carried out 10 days before the evaluation time of the order, which is conducive to the verification of the certificator.

What is the relationship between Higg, SLCP, FSLM and vFSLM?

The Higg Index is a tool developed by SAC to assess and measure the sustainability performance of a company or product across the entire industry chain of textile and apparel factories, brands and retailers. The Higg Index ultimately enables enterprises to make positive improvements on their own to protect factories and the environment.

FEM is the standard used by Higg to check and evaluate the factory's annual environmental performance, and vFEM needs to be audited on site in the later stage (plus v means on-site audit).

FSLM is Higg's factory social responsibility and labor module. Only online evaluation is required, no on-site audit is required.

SLCP, equal to vFSLM.

SLCP validates the content

• Recruitment and hiring;

• Health and Safety (H&S);

• Working hour;

• Termination;

• Wages and benefits;

• Management systems;

• Employee treatment;

• Above and beyond compliance;

• Employee Involvement; .

SLCP audit standard and score

No matter SLCP/Higg FSLM or Higg FEM, they are just an industry standard and a measuring tool. They are not traditional audit without PASS or FAIL, but just verification. SLCP factory inspection mainly involves the requirements of quality management system, risk management and product safety management. The final audit results were divided into 4 grades, respectively: 85 points and above; 71-84 points; 51-70 points; 50 points or less.

The highest grade approved by SLCP is 85 or above, and COSTCO mainly requires it to meet this requirement at present. Many foreign customers only require 71-84 points this level can be accepted; Some customers even ask for 51 points and above. When foreign trade customers receive SLCP factory inspection requirements from customers, they can ask the final audit level of SLCP factory inspection acceptable to customers. In addition, the factory can according to its actual situation, continuous improvement, gradually reach different levels of factory inspection.

SLCP Project Improvement Plan area criteria

Under the category of SLCP:

1, can verify the working status of the workers through verification (including age, working hours, wages, health and safety, factory management system).

2. The verification results can be shared with different customers in the form of data sharing through the platform.

Outside the scope of the SLCP:

SLCP makes no judgment on the value of the data, including: no scoring/rating of factory labor conditions, no assessment of minimum standards, no industry standards, no compliance assessment of any corporate code of conduct, no certification program, no corrective action plan (improvement plan)

SLCP validates related expenses

SLCP administrative authority surcharge of $300 (Note: reduced to $150 after 2023);

The SLCP-AH hosting fee is subject to the price set by each hosting platform. Different custodian institutions, different rates;

The SLCP on-site certification fee depends on the verification company. Quote according to the days of SLCP verifier;

SLCP Certificator surcharge is paid by the Certificator (BenchmarksCompanyLimited) and is not borne by the manufacturer.

SLCP factory inspection benefits

Compliance: Complete the SLCP project verification, and externally ensure that all parties carry out production and manufacturing activities in line with legal, humanitarian and ethical standards.

Information sharing: The factory can establish multiple hosting platforms, through which the verified data information can be downloaded or shared with customers, which greatly facilitates information sharing.

Data confidentiality: Gateways do not share their data without factory approval. The data will be hosted by the International Trade Center, which meets the highest standards for data security.

Risk minimization: Through the project verification of SLCP, to ensure the creation of a safer working environment and more reasonable labor security, while protecting employees, reduce the possibility of damaging the company's reputation.

SLCP evaluation process

step1. Self-assessment

Factories complete self-assessments of their social and labor data using data collection tools.

step2. Verify

Experienced social moderators who have been approved for SLCP validation visit the facility to check that the answers provided by the facility in its self-assessment are accurate and to record new answers if any entry for the facility is incorrect or incomplete.

step3. Data sharing

The SLCP allows facilities to share their final validation data with their chosen stakeholders through a unique data-sharing ecosystem that links different platforms together.