RBA factory audit

RBA is a social responsibility audit standard for the electronics industry. The electronic industry within the RBA6.0 guidelines includes all organizations that design, market, manufacture or provide goods and services for the production of electronic products. Any company in the electronics industry may voluntarily adopt the Code and apply it to its supply chain and subcontractors, including suppliers of contract Labour. According to the standard definition of RBA, the audit service agency is also in line with the requirements.

In 2004, in order to fulfill their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), IBM, Dell, HP and other multinational groups in the global electronics industry, leading companies in the US electronics industry, spontaneously formulated codes of conduct. The RBA Code of Conduct covers not only its own enterprises but also satellite manufacturers in the entire product supply chain. Satellite manufacturers include Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM), Own Designing & Manufacturing (ODM), and electronic Manufacturing services (EMS) companies.

October 17, 2017, The Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition of the EICC has announced a rebranding of the organization as the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA). The RBA Code of Conduct 6.0 can also be regarded as a code of conduct for human rights, environment and ethics in the global electronics supply chain. It highly echoes the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles at Work Principles and Rights at Work) and indicator international Human Rights standards such as the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. After renamed RBA Responsible Business Alliance, EICC immediately releases Cod of Conduct and VAP (Validated Assessment Process) version 6.0.

RBA6.0 audit standard is the current social responsibility standards, audit content is the most complete, the most extensive coverage of a social responsibility project, especially about business ethics, the provisions are particularly detailed, and this is the most prone to crisis in many domestic enterprises.

Basic overview of RBA certification

Type of audit for RBA certification

RBA certification is divided into VAP and NO-VAP. VAP must be registered on the official website of RBA and audited by personnel sent by RBA. There are a total of 9 RBA authorized audit institutions in China, such as TUV/BSI/SGS/UL, and the auditors must also be trained and authorized by RBA. Vaps meet the requirements for high quality, consistent and cost-effective standard industry assessments of Labour, ethics, health, safety and environmental practices based on the RBA Code of Conduct and relevant laws and regulations.

RBA-VAP Certification Review:

1. Managed by RBA, assisted the factory to sign contracts with RBA, and the factory paid to RBA;

2. The RBA report will be issued within 4 weeks after the completion of the audit;

3. RBA VAP report will have RBA watermark and RBA report number;

4. All RBA members accept the VAP audit report.

Vaps must be registered on the RBA website and audited by RBA personnel. There are mainly 9 RBA-authorized audit institutions in China, such as TUV/BSI/SGS/UL, and the auditors must also be trained and authorized by RBA. Vaps meet the requirements for high quality, consistent and cost-effective standard industry assessments of Labour, ethics, health, safety and environmental practices based on the RBA Code of Conduct and relevant laws and regulations.

RBANon-VAP Certification Review:

1. The factory shall be managed by a third party and conduct audit and review reports according to RBA standards. The factory shall pay to the third party and the process shall not pass the RBA;

2. The RBA report will be issued within 2 weeks after the completion of the audit;

3. The factory needs to confirm that the buyer is a member of RBA, and confirm with the buyer whether the buyer accepts the Non-VAP report.

NON-VAP has changed from the previous marking system to only audit reports now. The reports obtained by enterprises have no marking system, and only the reports of VAP customers have marking system, RBA6.0: 2018 is the new version of the current RBA, which is an upgraded version of the original EICC. Major changes have taken place in the new version of RBA on the basis of the original one, especially NON-VAP, which cancelled the scoring authority of the third-party certification body, and the RBA audit report to the enterprise only has evaluation without score.

Type of audit for RBA certification

There are three grades of RBA certification: platinum, gold and silver. The requirements to obtain the certification are as follows:

Platinum: VAP has been rated more than 200 points, and has completed all correction and submitted the correction plan ON the EKC-ON platform;

Gold-gold: VAP has been evaluated more than 180 points, has completed the correction of key points and major deficiencies and submitted the correction plan on the EICC-ON platform;

Silver - Silver: VAP has been rated at least 160 points, has completed the correction of key missing points and submitted the correction plan to the EKC-ON platform.

Note: 1. The three levels of certification are only for VAP audit, not CMA/AMA audit!

2. NOVAP does not have a certificate, but only an audit report issued by the audit company. Before the certification, we need to know whether the customer accepts the NOVAP report or not.

RBA certification audit content

1. Labor

Participants pledge to uphold employees in accordance with internationally recognized norms and treat them with dignity and respect. This applies to all employees, including casual workers, foreign workers, apprentices, contract workers, direct employees and any other type of employee. The Guidelines have been drafted with reference to some of the accepted standards (set out in the annex), which may also be a useful source of additional information.

2. Health and safety

Participants should understand that in addition to helping to reduce work-related injuries and illnesses, a safe and healthy work environment improves the quality of products and services, improves production, improves employee retention, and improves employee morale. Participants should also understand that ongoing employee involvement and education are critical to identifying and addressing health and safety issues in the workplace. These guidelines have been drafted with reference to recognised management systems such as the Occupational Safety and Health Guidelines, which may also be a useful source of additional information.

Step 3: The environment

Participants should recognize that environmental responsibility is an important part of producing the world's goods. In production and operations, adverse impacts on communities, the environment and natural resources should be minimized, while protecting public health and safety. These Guidelines have been drafted with reference to recognised management systems such as ISO14001 and the Ecological Management and Audit System, which may also be useful sources of additional information.

Step 4 Be moral

In order to fulfill their social responsibility and establish a successful position in the market, participants and their agencies should adhere to high standards of ethics.

5. Management system

Participants shall adopt or establish a management system whose scope is relevant to the content of this Code. In designing the management system, ensure that:

(a) Comply with laws, regulations and customer requirements related to the operations and products of the Participant;

(b) comply with these Guidelines;

(C) Identify and mitigate the operational risks associated with this Code.

Benefits of RBA Certification:

Meet customer mandatory regulations and obtain sales orders;

Obtain the recognition of international famous brand customers, prevent overseas customers from repeatedly approving dealers, and reduce costs;

Reduce the risk of supervision and control, improve the subjectivity and self-control ability to follow the relevant local laws and regulations, prevent lawsuits, and improve the overall management efficiency and competitiveness;

Improve the manufacturing system software and equipment, and continue to upgrade, improve the company's production capacity, improve production safety and physical and mental health, so that the company can get higher economic benefits;

Bring an office environment in line with social ethics for employees, attract a large number of high-level talents, reduce the outflow of high-quality professional and technical personnel, so that the company can achieve sustainable development;

Create international public trust and enhance the brand image of enterprises;

Enable customers to create positive feelings for the product;

Solid cooperation with suppliers and expand international new sales market.

RBA authentication process