The WRAP certification, known as Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production, is the largest factory-based certified program in the world for manufacturers of stitched products like clothing, footwear, factory apparel, etc. The program is designed to certify companies for compliance with the 12 principles of WRAP to ensure they’re providing their customers with goods that have been produced ethically and don’t pose any threats or hazards related to the manufacturing process.

Having a WRAP certification implies to your audience that your practices are committed to ethical business practices and that your products have been manufactured keeping those ethics in mind. The certification is recognized around the world as a company’s proof of social compliance. All certifications have a renewal period depending on the level, and all certified facilities are subject to unannounced visits by WRAP experts to ensure all practices are being followed.

WRAP Certification Checklist

WRAP is recognized as an accredited training organization by the International Register of Certified Auditors (IRCA). The WRAP training program provides you with all the basic to professional level knowledge and practical skills you need to implement the 12 principles of WRAP in your organization in the most efficient way. These 12 principles are:

1. Compliance with workplace regulations and laws.
2. Prohibition of child labor.
3. Prohibition of forced labor.
4. Compensation and benefits as stated by law.
5. Hours of work as limited by law.
6. Health and safety regulations.
7. Prohibition of harassment and abuse.
8. Freedom of association and collective bargaining.
9. Compliance with workplace environment regulations.
10. Customs compliance.
11. Employee safety.
12. Prohibition of discrimination.

ELC is WRAP Certified

ELC is proud to announce that it’s WRAP certified, showcasing reliable and valid ethical practices in all its company processes, from employee safety to product manufacturing. The company has a gold level certification,  following all the international standards of social compliance, including the 12 WRAP principles, and has been audited by WRAP compliant experts keeping all of these practices in mind. Read more about the levels of WRAP certification below.

Benefits of the WRAP Certification

Following are some major reasons why a WRAP certification is important not just for your company but also for the people working for you:

• Reduction of health and safety hazards in the workplace.
• Improvement of employee engagement and productivity.
• Ensures workers employed in the apparel, footwear, and other sewn goods departments are treated fairly and humanely.
• Showcases your brand’s reputation to be that of a fair employer among consumers, increasing your credibility.
• Helps you avoid reputational damage and litigation if one of your factories faces problems.

Steps to Acquiring a WRAP Certification

• Application 

In this stage, a company is supposed to submit all required information and documents to WRAP and get themselves registered for the certification.

• Self-Assessment

Every registered facility needs to complete a 90-day pre-audit self-assessment to ensure they’re utilizing socially compliant practices.

• Monitoring 

After completing the self-assessment, facilities need to select a WRAP-accredited monitoring firm to audit the facility according to the 12 principles. This needs to be passed in the 6 months after registering, and if it’s not completed in this period, the facility will have to re-register and start again.

• Evaluation 

The monitoring facility’s audit report is then assessed by WRAP to decide whether to certify the company being audited.

• Certification

Certification is issued from any of the three levels –

• Platinum: 

This certificate is valid for 2 years, awarded to facilities that show full compliance with WRAP’s 12 principles. These facilities must successfully pass every audit without corrective actions and continuously maintain their certification without any gaps between the certificate expiry and re-registering period.

• Gold:

Valid for 1 year, this is the standard WRAP certification level awarded to facilities complying with all the 12 principles of WRAP.

• Silver

Valid for 6 months, a silver certification is issued when an audit finds to be in substantial compliance with the 12 principles, with minor noncompliance in policies or practices that need addressing. Facilities must not have any noncompliance and should demonstrate that they’re paying employees at least up to the minimum wage and any overtime is being compensated duly.

Having a WRAP certification means you’re showing all your consumers and potential clientele that you’re practicing global standards of social compliance. This makes your company credible and reliable for all buyers and allows you to secure your supply chain profitably. If you want to know more about similar topics or invest in workplace safety apparel, visit Elite-Leather Creations.