60 second interview:
WRAP
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Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) is an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the certification of lawful, humane and ethical manufacturing. We speak to , vice-chairman, president and CEO of WRAP, about future plans for the organization |
What is WRAP’s history?
WRAP was set up in January 2000. It grew from the growing pressure for apparel producers to be held accountable for global production practices, as manufacturers were adopting inconsistent standards or duplicate monitoring efforts. In 1998, several large apparel producers approached the American Apparel Manufacturers Association to ask for a coordination of industry’s role in addressing the problem of inconsistent monitoring of manufacturing standards.
The WRAP certification programme was set up to ensure that factories produce goods under lawful, humane and ethical conditions. It is important to emphasize that we are a certification and standards setting body and are not controlled in any way by the industry we monitor. We have no membership and are completely independent; we don’t accept any government or foundation grants and we do this to maintain our independence.
Has WRAP been successful so far?
| Since it’s beginning, more than 10,000 factories have participated in the programme in more than 73 countries. It is certainly accepted worldwide, from Australia through to Asia, the US, the UK and all around Europe. |  |
WRAP’s success is still growing. The primary focus has been on apparel, but last year we changed our name from ‘apparel production’ to ‘accredited production,’ as we’ve expanded our programme. We now have a universal code of ethics that has been modified slightly to be applicable to any other labour-intensive consumer product manufacturing facility, from food processing to electronics or jewellery.
The principles of manufacturing are the same regardless of the product; child labour is child labour. Some issues such as which chemicals are used or personal equipment may vary, but the processes to manage these issues are exactly the same. For this reason the scope of WRAP is still expanding.
How does the WRAP certification process work?
A factory sends a completed application form and fee to WRAP. It then has to carry out a self-assessment using our handbook and when satisfied it has complied with all requirements in the handbook, WRAP is notified that the factory is ready for monitoring. The factory will then hire an independent monitor who is accredited by WRAP; all factories must be able to demonstrate full compliance for at least 90 days at the time of the initial audit.
After the audit stage, the factory will either be notified of corrective procedures that need to be implemented for at least 45 days before a follow-up visit or WRAP staff will recommend to the certification board that the factory may be certified. It is certainly a rigorous process; the management and workers all have to be dedicated to adopting the requirements in order to get through the process.
What are the benefits to WRAP certification?
There are certainly benefits from the customer or consumer standpoint, as they know that facilities certified to WRAP will have demonstrated sound ethical procedures. There are strong business benefits as well, as factories that participate do end up being more efficient, productive and profitable. The social benefits are clear: better working conditions for employees and an environmental programme designed to protect the environment and provide for future generations.
What is the future for WRAP?
We will continue to expand our training programmes and the number of consultants that we’re using around the world, mainly to increase capability in various countries. The focus for many industries on social and environmental compliance is still fairly new. The apparel industry has more than a decade of experience, but other industries, such as food processing, still need time to get up to speed. We’re getting more and more requests in construction and materials, so there is definitely still a lot of work to do.
For more information on WRAP visit www.wrapapparel.org
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