ICTI factory audit

The International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI) is the International Council of Toy Industry. Members of the International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI) cover the major toy markets and toy manufacturing countries in Europe, the United States and the Asia Pacific region, including: China, Hong Kong, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, Germany, Canada, Russia, Brazil, Spain, etc. The ICTI Code is the industry code that the international toy industry adheres to. ICTI was founded in 1974 to promote the interests of toy manufacturing in its member countries and regions, and to reduce or remove trade barriers. ICTI acts as a clearinghouse to provide regular opportunities for discussion and exchange of information and to promote toy safety standards. In the spirit of ensuring legal, safe and healthy practices in the toy industry, ICTI has launched a Business Code of Conduct programme to improve the image and working environment of the toy industry. ICTI also works to get national and local governments to enforce wage, hour and factory safety and health regulations.

ICTI has developed a set of simple, effective and humane auditing standards, business codes of conduct and auditing protocols for factories to ensure that toys are produced in a safe and humane environment. Upon successful completion of the ICTI Certification audit, the facility will be granted an ICTI Certification certificate to demonstrate compliance with the terms of the Code. Because 80 percent of toys produced in China are sold in the West, ICTI's primary focus is on China, where only factories are currently required to undergo ICTI certification. ICTI certification has become a new "threshold" for the export of domestic toy enterprises!

Basic overview of ICTI factory inspection

Audit and access types

1, the first certification audit (ICA) or annual preliminary audit (IAA)

A surprise full audit will be arranged within 2 months after the completion of the application for the first time or the annual application.

2. Progress Survey (PV)

This is a pre-notice visit that takes place within 2 to 4 months of certification to discuss the plant's progress towards IETP compliance. PV will inform the factory of the arrangement in advance and give sufficient time to make preparations.

3. Follow-up Audit (FU)

This surprise audit applies to factories that have been found to have serious non-conformance in the previous audit.

4. Supervision and Audit (SA)

Factories listed in the observation period must conduct three surprise inspections within a year.

5. Quality Control Audit (QCA)

IETP will arrange a full surprise quality control audit for the factory as required.

6. Transparency Review (RA)

This surprise audit is applicable to factories that do not have transparent and open true records on site. A transparency review will be arranged if the factory demonstrates transparency within the 20 working day response period to the corrective action plan. The factory must produce documented records for the past 12 months.

7. Document Review (DR)

Follow up the rectification plan of minor nonconformance in factory.

The registration fee and certificate fee required by the factory for ICTI CARE audit

ICTI factory audit content

Company profile: basic information, organization structure, production process layout, production equipment, business license, etc

Working hours: time attendance record, working hours and overtime policy documents, labor contract, work and rest hours policy documents, overtime procedures, etc

Pay and compensation: payroll, time or piece records, social insurance, vacation provisions, etc

Child Labour and prison Labour: relevant procedural documents, rosters, personal files, etc

Discipline routine

Factory regulations and discipline: reward and punishment provisions

Discrimination: Anti-discrimination policy

Employee representative: employee representative election documents and training records

Environment and facilities: warehouse, workshop, power equipment, etc. cleaning and maintenance records

Fire: fire drill, evacuation plan, evacuation pathway, etc

Occupational health and safety: occupational health examination, etc

Employee benefits dormitory/canteen/medical services and other benefits, etc.

Benefits of ICTI Factory inspection

1. Be recognized by the world's major toy manufacturers, reduce the audit factory

Multiple audit is a waste of human and material resources, ICTI factory inspection can reduce the waste of resources, improve work efficiency.

2. To open up the market with gold signboards

The recognition of the world's major toy manufacturers to ICTI indicates that after the certification, it can stabilize old customers, get to know new customers, and show a good image of the enterprise, to protect the reputation of the enterprise.

3. Reduce risks related to management control

The ICTI Code on EHS can reduce the risk of enterprise management and control, improve the compliance performance of enterprises, avoid legal proceedings, improve efficiency and reduce production costs in the long run.

4. Establish a good platform for the sustainable development of the enterprise

Since e companies provide an ethical working environment, it is enough to attract better staff and reduce staff turnover, employees will have a sense of belonging, and productivity and product quality will be improved.

7 steps for toy manufacturers to obtain an ICTI certificate

1. Download and complete the application form and submit it to ICTI (Asia) Limited. Please visit www.icti-care.org to download the application form.

2. ICTI (Asia) Co., Ltd. appoints an ICTI-approved auditor (SGS, SCSA, UL, ELEVATE) to conduct the audit, which will contact the factory for the initial audit.

3. The audit fee is based on the standard set by ICTI CARE, plus any necessary travel expenses (the applicant and the audit agency negotiate this fee). The audit will be carried out as scheduled upon mutual agreement and confirmation.

4. Upon completion of the audit, the audited factory shall reach an agreement with the auditing institution on the findings in the audit. If necessary, the factory will make a corrective action plan, and the auditing agency will conduct another audit on the basis of the corrective action plan (if necessary). The auditing agency will contact the factory in advance and inform it of the costs required for the re-audit.

5. Upon successful completion of the audit, the audit institution shall submit the audit report and recommend the audited factory to ICTI, who will conduct the review again.

6. A certificate will be issued to the audited factory that has paid the certificate fee after ICTI certifies it as qualified. The certificate will be valid for one year.

7. The certificate is valid for the year. If the factory continues to comply with the ICTI Code and requires the certificate issued by ICTI, ICTI may continue to issue the certificate after the annual approval.