Out & About

We want to share with you some of the great meetings, conferences and forums attended by APSCA and APSCA Members.

Should you have photos to share, please contact us at director@theapsca.org.

COVID-19 - We're All in This Together

We’re All in This Together

As the COVID-19 pandemic grips the world, we at APSCA wish to extend our thoughts to you and your families. While this situation presents unprecedented challenges for all, we acknowledge these are particularly difficult for our Members and all those working within the social compliance audit industry.

As a global organisation, APSCA’s remote working arrangements remain unchanged during this time. However, all work-related travel has been suspended until further notice and Stakeholder Events scheduled for 2020 are currently on hold.

It is important to note, with the exception of industry events, APSCA’s primary functions remain fully operational and we are still available to assist you.

Please reach out via email or connect with us via our Contact Us page

Disclaimer Liability

The material and information contained on this website is for your general information purposes only. You should not rely upon the material or information on the website as a basis for making any business, legal, or any other decisions. Businesses, organizations and individuals should comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and guidance.

Whilst we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, APSCA makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such material is therefore strictly at your own risk.

APSCA is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. All information in this site is provided “as is”, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information. APSCA is not be responsible for any injury, death, or liability for any damages to persons or property arising out of or related to any use of these materials or any other content on our website.

In The News - Just Style

June 2020

How Coronavirus is Altering Apparel Factory Audits

With many fashion brands and manufacturers unable to visit factories due to travel bans and lockdowns during the Covid-19 crisis, there are numerous ways they can still proceed with responsible sourcing.

Read the full article here.

In The News - Just Style

7 May 2020

Social Compliance Auditing During and After COVID-19

Randy Rankin, Global Client Development Director for Eurofins, an APSCA Member Firm, shared how the impact of COVID-19 has fundamentally changed life and business, particularly supply chains and social compliance audits . Writing in Just Style [7 May 2020], Randy comments “Simply, there are significant risks in the post-caronavirus environment and this will fundamentally make social compliance audits more important than ever.”

Read the full article here.

In The News - Sourcing Journal

17 April 2020

VIDEO: WRAP CEO on Why Current Partnership Challenges Could Spell Future Crisis for Retailers

CEO and President of WRAP and Chair of APSCA’s Executive Board, Avedis Seferian addressed the challenges facing the sourcing industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Avedis commented, “While COVID-19 has exposed major cracks in the supply chain, it’s also unearthing a problem of partnership—there may be a dearth of it at a time when neither retailer nor supplier can afford it.”

View the video here.

1 April 2020

What Will the Post-Coronavirus Supply Chain Look Like?

Randy Rankin, Global Client Development Director for Eurofins, an APSCA Member Firm, shared how the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will dramatically change many aspects of life and the way we do business. Writing in Sourcing Journal [1 April 2020], Randy comments “There should be no question that the events associated with the global pandemic will have devastating financial implications for entities around the world, with the apparel value chain being one of the most dramatically impacted. From retail employees through the more than 40 million workers in factories producing the goods for brands and retailers, the tight-margin, just-in-time world presents significant risks and challenges.”

Read the full article here.

24 March 2020

How to Audit Factories During Lockdowns and Social Distancing

CEO and President of WRAP and Chair of APSCA’s Executive Board, Avedis Seferian addressed the challenges facing the sourcing industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Writing in the Sourcing Journal [24 March 2020], Avedis commented “With consumer demand for clothing plummeting as a result of directives limiting social movement, we are seeing major brands and retailers cutting back on orders, with reverberations being felt all through the supply chain. And for those buyers who are still able to proceed, the question of how they can inspect their vendor facilities is a pressing one, as those same directives are making it impossible for auditors to visit factories in large swaths of the world”.

Read the full article here.

Member Firm Links & Resources

Continued Operations through COVID-19

Below APSCA are sharing and posting resources we think might be helpful to our members and those in the social compliance community during times of COVID-19 and looking ahead

APSCA

The importance of Paying Attention to Ethics and Integrity During the COVID-19 Pandemic

ARCHE ADVISORS

Bureau Veritas

Restart Your Business With BV

DNV

EUROFINS

Article: How well prepared are you to implement COVID-19 prevention measures in the factory?
On-Demand Webinar: Social Compliance in the Post-COVID Supply Chain

INTERTEK

Inview – Remote Assessment Solution

WRAP

Symphonization: The True Path to Harmonious Supply Chain Social Compliance Management

*More Links and Resources to Come*

Intertek - Ethical Sourcing Forum - Sydney, AUS

12 November 2019 – Event hosted by Intertek

APSCA’s President & CEO, Rona Starr, presenting at the Ethical Sourcing Forum “Action Against Modern Slavery” event.

Sino-German Sustainability Summit - Beijing, China

June 2019 – Event hosted by TUV Rheiland

APSCA speaking on panel: “The Importance of Responsible Manufacturing in Order to Achieve 2030 SDGs”

Left to Right – Walter Lin (SEDEX), Frank Dossers (TUV Reihland; APSCA Executive Board Member), Joyce Chau (amfori BSCI), and Rona Starr (APSCA President and CEO)

Stakeholder Board Meetings

June 2019 – Thank you to Disney for hosting APSCA’s stakeholder board meeting in Burbank, CA at Walt Disney Studios.

Left to Right SB Members – Randy Rankin (SB member), Rona Start (APSCA CEO), Christian Ewert (Amfori), Avedis Seferian (Chair, SB Member, WRAP), Laura Rubbo (Walt Disney Company), Todd Nash (Home Depot), Dan Murray (Sedex), Rochelle Zaid (SAI). Not pictured, but joined remotely, Brendan Morrissey (Walmart).

Executive Board Meetings

March 2019 – thanks Walmart for hosting us in London following our participation in the Sedex Conference.

top left Randy Rankin (SB member), Rajan Kamalanathan (BV), Justin Bettey (Intertek), Richard Ingrao (Accordia) Brendan Morrissey (standing in for Jan Saumweber – Walmart), Rona Starr (APSCA) Avedis Seferian (Chair, SB Member WRAP) Darrell Doren (Elevate) Effie Marinos (SGS) not pictured, taking the picture, Greg Gardner (Arche)

Sedex Conference 2019

APSCA participated in the Sedex panel: Achieving meaningful change in the lives of workers and communities by enabling better business learning and decision-making

What is good data? How do we move from outputs to outcomes? And how do we use supply chain information to drive change and show progress?

Panelists: Mark Hodge (Moderator), Shift; Gillian Haythornthwaite, nGaje; Rona Starr, APSCA; Aisha Aswani, Co-op; Antoine Heuty, Ulula

Rationalizing Harmonization: The Apparel Industry Needs a Framework for Compliance

Avedis Seferian (CEO – WRAP and APSCA Executive Board Chair) has written an article on the need to rationalize the harmonization efforts crowding the social compliance space. Please see the article which was published by the Sourcing Journal here: https://sourcingjournal.com/topics/thought-leadership/rationalizing-harmonization-120609/

ELEVATE CSR Asia Summit

Hong Kong 18 & 19 September 2018

APSCA participated on the panel: “Global Trends in Responsible Sourcing 2018” exploring:

Forced Labor: Increased Attention & Legislation
Rationalizing Industry Initiatives
ESG Investments Becoming Mainstream
Auditor Quality & Accreditation
Tech Innovation & Predictive Analytics are Reshaping the Future

From Left: Ian Spalding (CEO, ELEVATE), Archana Kotecha (Liberty Global Asia), David Lawrence (Executive Director Aim-Progress), Rona Starr (APSCA).
Photo Courtesy of ELEVATE.

American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) Social Responsibility Committee Summer 2018 Meeting

Seattle, USA 9 August 2018

AAFA‘s Social Responsibility Committee met on Thursday, August 9, 2018 in Seattle, WA, to discuss the latest social compliance issues facing the apparel and footwear industry. Avedis Seferian (WRAP President & CEO and APSCA Executive Board Chair) presented with particular reference to initiatives championed by the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety.

Avedis Seferian (WRAP President & CEO and APSCA Executive Board Chair) providing an update regarding Bangladesh.

Unleash Opportunity Conference - amfori

Amsterdam 13 June 2018

”A wonderfully moderated panel addressing audit integrity during the amfori – Trade with Purpose Unleash Opportunity Conference. Rona Starr (second from left) sharing insights with fellow panelists (L-R) Andrew Leatuali’i Savini (APSCA Member Firm – ELEVATE Global), Richard Boele (KPMG Australia), Christophe Liebon (APSCA Member Firm – Intertek) and Federico Burlon (Impactt Limited).”

Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Annual General Meeting

Perth, Australia 24 May 2018

“APSCA’s participation in the 2018 AGM Week helped raise understanding of APSCA’s work with our company and civil society members. In a multi-stakeholder discussion about human rights challenges and opportunities, Rona Starr (APSCA President & CEO) described how APSCA is taking practical steps to enhance the professionalism and credibility of the social compliance industry. In facing global human rights challenges relating to corruption, gender, labour rights, and the rights of Indigenous peoples, social compliance auditors can play a critical role alongside company culture and the willingness to learn and improve. ASI appreciates the work of both APSCA and its members and is committed to supporting APSCA’s progress.” – Dr Fiona Solomon, ASI CEO

Rona Starr (APSCA President\CEO) at the ASI AGM.

ASI Bauximite Mine Site Visit (Photo credit: Mark Wielga, NomoGaia)

Sedex and Australia Post Conference

Melbourne, Australia 14 March 2018
One of our Member Firms, DQS, Arta Beikzadah, was on a panel titled: “How do we simplify responsible sourcing for small business in Australia”. Arta introduced the 3 E’s. Encouraging, Educating and Expecting suppliers and employees.”

ELEVATE Leadership Series

Sydney, Australia 22 March 2018
APSCA participated on a panel session: Transparency, Trust and Impact – Partnership Approach to Responsible Supply Chains.

Sedex Conference - Impact Through Leadership

London 13 & 14 March 2018

Avedis Seferian (WRAP President & CEO and APSCA Executive Board Chair) and Wesley Wilson (APSCA) participated on the panel “Introduction to ‘defining beyond compliance’ – what does it mean to you?” at the Sedex Conference, London 13 & 14 March 2018.

Rona Starr (President\CEO APSCA) participated on the panel “Whose responsibility is it to go ‘beyond compliance’? at the Sedex Conference, London 13 & 13 March 2018.

APSCA Annual General Meeting - 2017

Cologne, Germany 4 – 5 December 2017

GOTS Conference

New Delhi, India November 2017
Avedis Seferian (WRAP President & CEO and APSCA Executive Board Chair) talks about the continuing importance of social compliance certifications during a debate at the GOTS conference in New Delhi, India – November 2017.

BSR Conference How Business Leads

Huntington Beach, California October 2017
APSCA was pleased to participate in a panel at BSR this year, focused on “Integrating Sustainability through Risk and Opportunity”.

Executive \ Stakeholder Board Meeting

USA, October 2017
From L to R Back Row: Fred Waelters (UL), Christophe Liebon, (Intertek), Randy Rankin (Independent), Petra Herbertz-Crumpler (Walmart), Darrell Doren (BSCI), Rajan Kamalanathan (BV), Christian Ewert (FTA), Frank Dorssers (TUV Rheinland).

From L to R Front Row: Laura Rubbo (The Walt Disney Company) Rona Starr (APSCA), Avedis Seferian (WRAP), Greg Gardner (Arche Advisors) Effie Marinos (SGS), Rochelle Zaid (SAAS), Betty Hutchison (BV).

Sedex Conference

Shanghai May 2017

CSR Asia Summit

Bangkok September 2017

Kevin Franklin (Snr VP, ELEVATE) and Rona Starr (APSCA) discussing Supply Chain Forensics – combining quality and analytics.

ELEVATE Leadership Series Conference

Hong Kong June 2017

Verisio UK Auditor Team

Cambridge, UK June 2017
Training Day in Cambridge where they reviewed the new SMETA 6.0 documentation and APSCA updates.

Intertek Ethical Sourcing Forum

New York May 2017

India and Sustainability Standards: International Dialogue and Conference

Avedis Seferian (WRAP President & CEO and APSCA Executive Board Chair) talks about the benefit of voluntary compliance programs like WRAP at the 2016 “India and Sustainability Standards: International Dialogue and Conference” hosted by the Centre for Responsible Business (CRB).

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Out & About

We want to share with you some of the great meetings, conferences and forums attended by APSCA and APSCA Members.

We want to share with you some of the great meetings, conferences and forums attended by APSCA and APSCA Members.

COVID-19 - We're All in This Together

Disclaimer Liability

In The News - Just Style

In The News - Just Style

In The News - Sourcing Journal

Member Firm Links & Resources

Intertek - Ethical Sourcing Forum - Sydney, AUS

Sino-German Sustainability Summit - Beijing, China

Stakeholder Board Meetings

Executive Board Meetings

Sedex Conference 2019

Rationalizing Harmonization: The Apparel Industry Needs a Framework for Compliance

ELEVATE CSR Asia Summit