APSCA Newsletter May 2020

May 31, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have an unprecedented impact on our industry. During this challenging time, we wish to reiterate our hopes for your continued health and safety. Should you require any assistance, we encourage you to reach out via email or connect with us via the links below.

Under the circumstances, we are pleased to report the sustained investment into Auditor certification has continued through strong participation rates in the CSCA examination program. Since commencement in 2018, over 4,000 exams have been administered and during May we reflect on the significant progress made to date.

In correlation with continued growth in Auditor enrolments, we welcomed a new Audit Firm to the association this month, while two existing Member Firms achieved full membership status.

Further highlights are provided below.

In this this issue:

APSCA’s Code & Compliance Manager Changes
CSCA Exam Part II Webinar
CSCA Examination Progress
Auditor Enrollment Summary
Member Firm Announcements
Disciplinary Board Results
Information and Support for Member Auditors
FAQs
APSCA Out and About
Cancelled – Stakeholder Events for 2020

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APSCA’s Code & Compliance Manager Changes

APSCA would like to announce that Bob Ansell is stepping down as our Code & Compliance Manager after dedicating almost two years to the development of APSCA’s Ethics & Integrity program.

Bob has played a pivotal role in the establishment and function of our Disciplinary Boards (Firm and Auditor) and on his departure we extend our gratitude for his work toward the realization of our shared mission.

As Bob steps down, APSCA are pleased to announce that Carol Rice has joined the team as our full-time Code & Compliance Manager. Carol was most recently the Director of Global Compliance for Sears Holdings where she managed an international team of auditors and support staff across five countries. She was responsible for enhancing and managing effective social and ethical compliance programs for the Sears, Kmart, and Lands’ End supply chains, including the investigation of integrity violations.

Carol also created compliance and ethics training which was presented in annual workshops to associates, vendors, and factories in multiple countries.

In addition to her years of working in social compliance, she also brings experience in factory and operational management, strategic and business planning, financial management, and communications. Her education includes an MBA in finance and labor relations from Virginia Commonwealth University.

We are excited to have Carol onboard. Carol is based in the US and can be reached via email at Carol.Rice@theapsca.org.

CSCA Exam Part II Webinar

Join APSCA as we provide an overview of the various elements of the CSCA Exam Part II. Developed for exam participants, the webinar will share insights into the exam format and assist participants with preparations to provide the best opportunity for success.

While numbers are limited we are pleased to advise a recording of the webinar will be provided for access via APSCA’s website.

For those interested in attending, registration is essential. Details of the live webinar are provided below:

When? June 24, 2020
Time? 2:00pm – 3:00pm (USA – Pacific Time)
Where? Online via GoToMeeting – You must register to join.

Dial-in details to be shared with registered attendees closer to webinar date.
Registration via the link below.

More webinars to come in July, so please stay tuned!

CSCA Examination Progress

Since commencement of the CSCA Examination program in 2018, over 4,000 exams have been administered across Parts I – III with an overall pass rate of 78%. A summary of program participation and results to date can be downloaded via the link below.

For all CSCA Exams (Part I – III) auditors MUST confirm their eligibility BEFORE they schedule each exam. Please work with your Member Firm and follow the guidance in the Auditor Handbook to notify APSCA prior to enrolling to sit the exam. If you have attempted an exam and experienced IT issues, you need to inform APSCA that you are rescheduling your exam to have a new invoice raised.

CSCA Exams Part I and II available in four Languages (English, Spanish, Simplified & Traditional Chinese).

CSCA Exam Part III interviews will commence scheduling shortly. Exams will be available in English, Spanish, Mandarin and Cantonese.

Please note, in the event an Auditor does not achieve a pass mark for either Part I, II or III CSCA exam, the Auditor will be assigned to the Associate Social Compliance Auditor (ASCA) level. Upon successful completion of the exam the Auditor will be re-assigned to the Registered Auditor (RA) level.

Auditors and Member Firms are encouraged to work collaboratively in preparation for each exam prior to the commencing the enrollment process. It is recommended, Auditors consult available materials to assist in their preparation, including the Auditor Handbook, Glossary of Terms and webinar recordings (available here).

Auditor Enrollments

During May, the total number of enrolled auditors increased to 4,471 (as of 27 May 2020). The enrolled Auditors comprise approximately 60% Registered Auditors, 39% Associate Social Compliance Auditors and 1% Certified Social Compliance Auditors.

Reminder of Upcoming Deadlines: As part of APSCA’s ongoing commitment to achieving our Mission of enhancing the professionalism and credibility of the industry, we have established deadlines to ensure that our Members operate in a level playing field, and have clear deadlines in which to sat exams to maintain their RA status.

Part I: Following our recent deadline of all Auditors who obtained RA Level Status prior to 1 November 2019, had a deadline to sit Part 1 by 31 March 2020, any RA level auditor who was advanced in one of the 4 languages that we offered the exam did not successfully complete the exam by 30 April 2020 was moved to ASCA level and will remain there until they sit and pass Part I. Auditors who became a RA Level Auditor from 1 November 2019 onwards have 6 months to sit Part I from the date they became an RA, otherwise they will be moved to ASCA. During 2021 we will launch additional languages.

Part II: Due to COVID-19 there is a change to the due date for Part II exam. Those Auditors who are advanced Chinese (Simplified or Traditional) and have successfully completed Part I must complete Part II by the end of September 2020 (or 3 months after completing Part I whichever is the latest). If an Auditor is advanced in Spanish or English, they have until March 2021 to complete Part II or 3 months after completing Part I whichever is the latest.

Member Firm Announcements

We are pleased to welcome two full Member Firms, ABS Quality Evaluations Inc and APCER, along with our newest provisional Member Firm SCS Global Services. Congratulations to our newest APSCA Member Firms on your commitment to the realization of APSCA’s mission “To enhance the Professionalism and Credibility of individuals and organisations performing independent social compliance audits”.

FULL MEMBER FIRMS

PROVISIONAL MEMBER FIRMS

For information on Firm Membership definitions and how your Firm can commence the application process, please visit our website.

As a reminder: ALL Member Firms who were accepted as an APSCA Provisional Member Firm prior to 2019, MUST reapply BEFORE June 2020.

If you are unsure if your firm needs to re-apply, please email director@theapsca.org

Disciplinary Board Results – Allegations and Sanctions

APSCA Member Auditors
APSCA’s Disciplinary Board met again early May to review three cases. To date, APSCA’s Ethics and Integrity team have addressed over 120 allegations against Member Auditors across several different Code violation classifications. A summary of allegations reflecting violations of APSCA’s Code and Standards of Professional Conduct can be downloaded via the link below.

Information and Support for Member Auditors

APSCA supports Member Auditors and future Members by providing important information on the APSCA website regarding membership, expectations, processes, and most importantly, how to comply with the APSCA Code and Standards of Professional Conduct. Here is a reminder on where to find information on some common questions.

What are the benefits of being an APSCA member, and what is the cost?
Refer to Membership Information.

What knowledge is required to become a Certified Social Compliance Auditor (CSCA)?
Take a look at the Competency Framework.

What are the differences between the two levels of APSCA Auditor Membership?
This too is found in the Competency Framework.

What constitutes unethical practices?
Refer to the APSCA Code and Standards of Professional Conduct.

How does APSCA respond to reported allegations of unethical behavior?
Refer to FAQS under “Ethics”.

If you are unable to find answers to any of your questions on our website, please email director@theapsca.org.

FAQs

Check out APSCA’s FAQ page – it has been recently updated.

Don’t see a question / answer you’re looking for? Contact us at d irector@theapsca.org.

APSCA Out and About

Please note that due to the global impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, APSCA have postponed or cancelled all travel. Updates on any future travel will be provided as soon as practicable. Please visit our Out and About page for updates from some of our Member Firms on what they are doing to support the industry during this time.

In seeking to further support our Members, we also welcome you to tell us how your organization and auditors are navigating today’s dynamic work environment. It is our intention to share these insights across our media channels to foster industry collaboration and unite our community during this difficult period. Please send responses to director@theapsca.org .

Cancelled - APSCA Stakeholder Event for 2020 (Germany and Thailand)

Unfortunately due to the global impacts of COVID-19, APSCA have resolved to cancel the Stakeholder Events which were due to be held in Germany (June) and Thailand (August).

Further announcements on additional Stakeholder Events planned for 2020 will be made in due course.

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