Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP)

We recently surveyed hundreds of manufacturers around the world about #SocialCompliance #audits conducted in their facilities each year. The goal of this survey was to gauge the level of disruption they experience and the resources required to meet buyer expectations. Learn more in this report from our Vice President of Stakeholder Engagement, Mark Jaeger. #AuditFatigue #SocialAudits #ManufacturingIndustry #ResponsibleSourcing #ResponsibleProduction #ApparelIndustry #TextileIndustry #FashionIndustry #Sourcing #SupplyChains

Our Senior Vice President Mark Jaeger visited some of our monitoring partners in China last week along with our Head of Operations for Greater China Brian Hui. They had productive conversations with both Centre Testing International Group (CTI) and ALGI regarding strategic development as well as the shifting future of #HRDD legislation. #socialcompliance #audits #duediligence

Along with my colleagues Khoa Nguyen, Hong Dinh and Neni Triani, it was an honor to represent Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) at the 41'st International Footwear Conference of the Confederation of International Footwear Associations (CIFA) this week in dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, #Vietnam. The conference was hosted by WRAP's association partner LEFASO ( the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association). Thank you Vice Chair and General Secretary Madame Xuan for the invitation, and thank you to LEFASO and CIFA Chair Mr. Nguyen Duc Thuan for the warm welcome. It was a privilege to provide the opening presentation for LEFASO members on day one updating US and EU laws impacting footwear suppliers including the increasing importance of Human Rights Due Diligence #HRDD and the new #CSDDD directive from the EU.

Recently in #Thanh Hoa Province; Vietnam where we Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) held a #socialcompliance seminar; big thanks to our accredited monitor firm BCI Vietnam for their hospitality. Always great to hang out with our friends Representative of VITAS and Textile & Garment Association of Thanh Hoa province along with WRAP Representative Hong Dinh We had some very engaging conversations with many of the 50 delegates who were there to hear about important issues ranging from #tradechallenges to #duediligence to #auditfatigue and how to tackle them.

Honored to represent Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) with my colleague Bart Seliger, (Head of Operations Middle East and Africa) at a recently concluded two-day conference in Maseru, Lesotho organized by the LNDC Lesotho (the Lesotho National Development Corporation) on the importance of social compliance certification for garment and textile producers. The conference brought together suppliers, exporters, union representatives, government officials and representatives from the International Labour Organization and the International Trade Centre. The conference keynote remarks were provided by the Honorable Minister of Trade Industry and Business Development Mokhethi Shelile. Lesotho was previously the #1 garment exporter to the US under AGOA but since COVID it has seen a decrease in exports to the US. Interestingly, Lesotho has increased exports to neighboring South Africa under a favorable trade arrangement. The Government of Lesotho received a loan from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank to implement the Competitiveness and Financial Inclusion Project “CAFI.” The CAFI project is funded over six years (2022 – 2028) and includes efforts  to increase investment and exports in the garment and textile sectors. WRAP is pleased to support this effort with training and education. 

Sialkot, Pakistan, is known for manufacturing footballs used in prestigious tournaments like the FIFA World Cup but we don't know, Sialkot is also a significant hub for manufacturing goalkeeper gloves for the same tournaments, Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) had collaborative meeting with Office bearers of PGMEA (Pakistan Gloves Manufacturers and Exporters Assocation) in their head office to enhance cooperation and adherence to ethical manufacturing standards in Gloves manufacturing Industry, embracing for the supply chain due diligence requirements, through collaborations and capacity building measures to Enhanced skills and knowledge among factory management and workers #PGMEA, #Sustainabaility (TDAP) Trade Development Authority of Pakistan #https://pgmea.org.pk

Had an opportunity to sit and discuss with seasoned compliance professionals the challenges and opportunities of Due diligence in Supply chain utilizing Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) certification program to effectively assess and ensure that organizations adhere to futuristic due diligence requirement!

Our Senior Vice President of Stakeholder Engagement Mark Jaeger recently joined our Head of Operations for Latin America Monica Escobar-Hertzoff in Guatemala to host a refresher training for our monitoring partners in the region. They covered topics ranging from how to write and review WRAP audit reports to updates from the Global Human Rights Due Diligence space. #socialcompliance #audits #duediligence #mhrdd #training

In this Industry Chat, AAFA Senior Vice President of Policy, Nate Herman and Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) President & CEO, Avedis Seferian tackle the question: “How should you view audits?”. While acknowledging that audits aren’t perfect (and they are not all the same), they conclude that when done right by independent and credible organizations, audits are extremely important tools in conducting due diligence to ensure responsible supply chain practices. #CorporateSocialResponsibility #AAFAIndustryChats