Corporate Social Responsibility

WORLDWIDE RESPONSIBLE APPAREL PRODUCTION

(WRAP)

Submitted By :Aditi Chakraborty(1)

Shaik Areef(18)

National Institute of Fashion Technology, Hyderabad

Who is WRAP ?

WRAP is an independent, objective, non-profit team of global social compliance experts dedicated to promoting safe, lawful, humane, and ethical manufacturing around the world through certification and education.

The primary activity of WRAP is its factory certification program, which is the largest of its kind in the world mainly focused on the apparel, footwear, and sewn products sectors.

About WRAP

Established 1998

Sponsor American Apparel and Footwear Association

Players in The apparel manufacturing community, human development rights groups, public interest groups, development agencies and the licensing community.

Target audience Apparel manufacturing companies

History

WRAP was formed out of the desire to create an independent and objective body to help apparel and footwear factories around the world verify that they are operating in compliance with local laws and internationally-accepted standards of ethical workplace practices.

Today, WRAP has grown to become a global leader in social compliance and a trusted independent supply chain partner for dozens of companies around the world.

In 2013 alone, over 2300 facilities from 50 countries participated, and there are currently around 1900 WRAP-certified facilities, found throughout the world, employing over 1.65 million workers.

Example of a WRAP certificate

PURPOSE of Certification

The objective of the Apparel Certification Program is to independently monitor and certify compliance with the following standards, ensuring that a given factory produces sewn goods under lawful, humane, and ethical conditions.

WRAP's 12 Principles

The WRAP Principles are based on generally accepted international workplace standards, local laws and workplace regulations which encompass human resources management, health and safety, environmental practices, and legal compliance including import/export and customs compliance and security standards.

1. Compliance with Laws and Workplace Regulations

Facilities will comply with laws and regulations in all locations where they conduct business. 

2. Prohibition of Forced Labour

Facilities will not use involuntary, forced or trafficked labor. 3. Prohibition of Child Labour

Facilities will not hire any employee under the age of 14 or under the minimum age established by law for employment, whichever is greater, or any employee whose employment would interfere with compulsory schooling.

4. Prohibition of Harassment or Abuse

Facilities will provide a work environment free of supervisory or co-worker harassment or abuse, and free of corporal punishment in any form.

  5. Compensation and Benefits

Facilities will pay at least the minimum total compensation required by local law, including all mandated wages, allowances & benefits.

  6. Hours of Work

Hours worked each day, and days worked each week, shall not exceed the limitations of the country’s law.  Facilities will provide at least one day off in every seven-day period, except as required to meet urgent business needs.

7. Prohibition of Discrimination

Facilities will employ, pay, promote, and terminate workers on the basis of their ability to do the job, rather than on the basis of personal characteristics or beliefs.

  8. Health and Safety

Facilities will provide a safe and healthy work environment. Where residential housing is provided for workers, facilities will provide safe and healthy housing.

  9. Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining

Facilities will recognize and respect the right of employees to exercise their lawful rights of free association and collective bargaining.

10. Environment

Facilities will comply with environmental rules, regulations and standards applicable to their operations, and will observe environmentally conscious practices in all locations where they operate.

  11. Customs Compliance

Facilities will comply with applicable customs laws, and in particular, will establish and maintain programs to comply with customs laws regarding illegal transhipment of finished products.

  12. Security

Facilities will maintain facility security procedures to guard against the introduction of non-manifested cargo into outbound shipments (i.e. drugs, explosives biohazards andor other contraband).

Implementation Procedure

Participating companies voluntarily agree that their production and that of their contractors will be certified by the WRAP Certification Programme complying with the WRAP Principles.

WRAP Certification Program

It is a five-step process:

1.  Application: The factory sends a completed application form and fee to WRAP.

2.  Self Assessment: The factory must apply and be registered in the WRAP Certification Program.  Factory management performs the self-assessment of its facility with the WRAP Self-Assessment and Monitoring Handbook to determine if their facility complies with the WRAP Principles.

3.  Independent Monitoring: WRAP authorizes factory management to hire an independent monitor from a list of monitoring companies and civil society organizations that regularly perform audits for compliance with policies and procedures required by third parties—in this case, WRAP.

4.  Evaluation: The WRAP staffer evaluates the factor and either informs the factory that it needs to correct certain procedures and have the monitor make an additional inspection and report or recommends to the Certification Board that the factory be certified.

5.  Certification: The Certification Board studies the recommendation of the staff, including the monitor’s report, and votes to award or withhold certification.

WRAP Certification Manufacturers who pass the audit are issued a certificate

by WRAP, which is valid for 6 months (Silver), 1 year (Gold) to 2 years (Platinum).

Platinum Certificate

Awarded to a facility that has demonstrated full compliance with all WRAP principles for three consecutive years, and has successfully “passed” each audit with no corrective actions and have best practices in place beyond Level A.

Gold Certificate

A one-year certificate is awarded to a facility that has demonstrated full compliance with all WRAP principles during the first audit, or in subsequent audits.

Silver Certificate

A six-month certificate will be issued to facilities that demonstrate substantial compliance with the WRAP principles, but have minor non-compliances in policies, procedures or training that need to be addressed.

Where is WRAP located?

Headquarters are located in Arlington, Virginia, USA just outside of Washington, DC.

It also has branch offices in Hong Kong, China, and Dhaka, Bangladesh, and additional representation in India and Southeast Asia (Thailand).

Contact information

Worldwide Responsible Apparel Production, 2200 Wilson Boulevard

Suite 601,Arlington, VA 22201,                                                        

United States.

  Tel: 703-243-0970 Fax: 703-243-8247 E-mail : INFO@Wrapapparel.org Web site : http://www.wrapapparel.org

Bibliography

http://www.intertek.com/textiles/wrap-certification/ http://www.wrapapparel.org/12-principles http://www.uscib.org/index.asp?documentID=2589 http://www.sgs.com/en/Sustainability/Social-Sustainability/Audit-

Certification-and-Verification/Social-Responsibility-Audits/WRAP-Audits.aspx

http://search.standardsmap.org/assets/media/WorldwideResponsibleAccreditedProductionWRAP/English/AtAGlance_EN.pdf

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