Letter from the editor

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is currently the buzzword for many organizations the world over. Enterprises are facing a brave new world where consumers are more knowledgeable, employees more demanding and laws more stringent. For those who can see beyond the strictures of compliance, the benefits of adopting a more ethical approach are far-reaching. Jonas Astrup explains what the toy industry is doing to ensure it remains at the forefront of the CSR movement and why a system of universal standards is the key to positive progress. Lisa Kantor has a look at whether social auditing in factories in south-east Asia has really improved working conditions. If employers are benefiting from the stamp of approval shouldn’t employees be the first to notice a positive change?

As organizations become more aware of the need to deem themselves socially responsible, the need for a universal and reputable accredited certification process for auditors has never been more important. As the last edition of INform showed, the reputation of accredited certification is currently far from flawless. As one auditor summarised, those certified are ‘aware of the variation in standards and, consequently, are becoming more cynical about the value of accreditation’. However, there is plenty of opportunity to improve this situation. In his article on the changing structure of IPC, IRCA director Simon Feary investigates how its recent decision to include approval within their portfolio of activities may lead to a new international accreditation body in the next few years.

Make sure you have a look at our new series of Q&A articles, where we invite some of the leading certification bodies to voice their opinions on how the today’s certification differs from those of years gone by.

There are also some handy notes on ISO 9001 and, of course, don’t forget to dip into the latest news and events where you’ll find a hand-picked collection of what’s going on out and about in the auditing world. Here you'll find some interesting findings on what assures consumers – more than a few reasons for companies to start making some positive changes.

Pandita Louram
IRCA INform