SLCP Assessment & SLCP Verification | A complete guide
What is SLCP
SLCP, The Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP) is an initiative led by the world’s leading manufacturers, brands, retailers, industry groups, (inter)governmental organizations, service providers and civil society organizations, to eliminate audit fatigue by replacing current proprietary tools with a standard-neutral Converged Assessment Framework.
Mission of the SLCP
The mission of the SLCP is to improve working conditions by allowing resources that were previously designated for compliance audits to be redirected towards the improvement of social and labour conditions.
Benefits of SLCP
The benefits of SLCP for facilities are that it addresses audit fatigue by reducing the number of social audits and facilitates measuring of employment practices, thus improving working conditions & employee relations.
It also redeploys resources towards improvement actions and fosters trust and collaboration between supply chain partners.
The SLCP is not a code of conduct or compliance program. The Converged Assessment Framework is a tool developed by the SLCP which provides a data set with no value judgement or scoring. It is however compatible with existing audit systems and codes of conduct.
This means that the same data set can be used by a wide-range of stakeholders & interpreted according to their interests and criteria. This eliminates the need for
repetitive audits to be carried out on the same facility.
Step-by-Step Guide to Completing an SLCP Assessment and Obtaining Verification
The Social and Labor Convergence Program (SLCP) is a program that aims to improve working conditions and social compliance in global textile and apparel supply chains. Here is a step-by-step process for completing an SLCP assessment and obtaining verification:
Preparation: Understand the SLCP requirements and prepare the necessary documentation and evidence to demonstrate compliance with the program’s standards.
Self-Assessment: Conduct a self-assessment using the SLCP assessment tools and methodologies, evaluating the practices and performance of the facility or organization against the SLCP standards.
External Assessment: Engage an SLCP-approved third-party assessor to conduct an on-site assessment and audit of the facility or organization.
Corrective Action: If any non-conformities are identified during the assessment, develop and implement a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) to address them.
Verification: Upon completion of the CAP and demonstrating compliance with the SLCP standards, the third-party assessor will issue a verification report.
Continuous improvement: Continuously monitor and improve working conditions and social compliance to ensure ongoing compliance with the SLCP standards.
Certification: Upon successful completion of the above steps, the facility or organization may be certified under the SLCP program.