SanMar (asi/84863) General Counsel Melissa Nelson, whose team manages the Top 40 supplier’s social compliance program, suggests promotional products companies do the following to generate factory audits that produce desired results:

▪ Define your requirements in relation to human rights, labor and ethical standards
▪ Identify an audit program that meets these standards
▪ Build an in-house team and/or engage with a third-party firm that can carry out audits based on the adopted program
▪ Build an in-house compliance team that can analyze the information received from audits and work with the firm or auditors to ensure the quality of the report and findings
▪ Periodically shadow audits to assess the program and auditor performance
▪ Recognize that audits aren’t a standalone solution. “It requires time and resources to engage with factories before and after audits to identify root causes, create sustainable corrective actions and drive continuous improvement,” says Nelson.