The 14 Red FlagsThe 14 Red Flags identify warning signs that a social certification may not be a reliable indicator of corporate performance. These flags are grouped into five key areas:
All red flags are equally important. No single issue can be ignored without increasing risk. That’s why it's essential to assess a certification scheme against all 14 flags for a complete picture of its credibility and effectiveness. Alignment with International Standards1. No Explicit Commitment to International Human Rights Standards or Covers Some but Not All Salient Human RightsDoes the certification reference either the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) or the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (MNE) on Responsible Business Conduct?
❐ Yes ❐ No ❐ Partially Does the scheme indicate that it conducts a saliency assessment or requires member companies to conduct saliency assessments to determine and prioritize the most severe impacts associated with the sector, product (including raw material components), or high-risk location? ❐ Yes ❐ No ❐ Partially 2. No Explicit Role for Rights Holders in Standard SettingDoes the scheme provide an explicit role for affected rights holders in the development and subsequent revisions of the certification standard?
❐ Yes ❐ No ❐ Partially Scope3. No Requirement of Brands to Share Responsibility with SuppliersDoes the scheme require the member brand or lead company takes responsibility for impacts occurring throughout its operations?
❐ Yes ❐ No ❐ Partially Good practices include, but are not limited to:
4. Does Not Adequately Account for Vulnerable PeopleDoes the scheme identify the most vulnerable workers and communities, or consumers in their operations and center prevention of harm to them in their standard and guidance?
❐ Yes ❐ No ❐ Partially Good practices include but are not limited to:
5. Does Not Adequately Account for GenderDoes the scheme apply a gender lens in designing the standard and establishing procedures for conducting audits?
❐ Yes ❐ No ❐ Partially Signs of a gender lens include but are not limited to:
Audits6. Allows the Company or Supplier Being Audited to Pay Directly for and/or Choose the AuditorDoes the scheme have a credible firewall to insulate auditing from conflicts of interests?
❐ Yes ❐ No ❐ Partially A firewall can be created through, for example:
7. No Requirement for Auditors to Have Human Rights Competencies and Knowledge of the Local ContextDoes the scheme require auditors to have human rights competencies or training requirements?
❐ Yes ❐ No ❐ Partially Human rights competencies, but are not limited to, include knowledge of:
8. Audits Not Carried Out in Person, Among Other Procedural WeaknessesDo the scheme’s audit procedures include all of the following:
❐ Audits conducted onsite ❐ A rationale for when announced and unannounced audits are conducted ❐ Interview protocols to protect rights holders from reprisal ❐ Requirements for audit coverage – i.e., the percentage of workers or community members interviewed per site and the percentage of audited sites ❐ Ongoing monitoring after the audit to prevent retaliation or other adverse consequences for audit participants. Does the scheme require that certified (member) companies publicly report on their process for identifying audit errors, instances of corruption, and efforts it makes to rectify these problems? ❐ Yes ❐ No ❐ Partially 9. Certification Granted Despite Insufficient Sample SizeDoes the scheme provide requirements and/or clear guidance for member companies’ sampling methodology?
❐ Yes ❐ No ❐ Partially Are member companies required to procure a larger percentage of their supply product from certified suppliers over time? ❐ Yes ❐ No ❐ Partially Grievance Mechanisms10. No Grievance Mechanism at the Scheme Level and/or No Requirement for a Grievance Mechanism in the StandardDoes the scheme require member companies to have a complaints mechanism that meets the effectiveness criteria established in UNGP 31?
❐ Yes ❐ No ❐ Partially Does the scheme require member companies to report on how often the complaint mechanism is used? ❐ Yes ❐ No ❐ Partially Does the scheme itself have a grievance mechanism that is used and does it report on how often it is used? ❐ Yes ❐ No ❐ Partially 11. No Controls to Ensure the Effectiveness of the Grievance Mechanisms in Providing RemedyDoes the scheme require grievance mechanisms of certified entities to have the following features? Select all that apply.
❐ Publicly available complaints and resolutions ❐ Rights holders participation in the design and implementation of the mechanism ❐ Guidelines for providing remedy ❐ Safeguards against repetition Governance & Accountability12. No or Poor Communication of the Certification Requirements to the Chain of Custody ParticipantsDoes the scheme require member companies to clearly communicate the purpose and expectations of the scheme to all actors throughout the supply chain?
❐ Tier 1 ❐ Tier 1 and 2 ❐ Beyond tier 2 ❐ Scheme has no such requirement 13. No Process to Suspend or Withhold Certification until Corrective Action Plans are Adopted and ImplementedDoes the scheme have a clearly defined process to hold members accountable when significant deviations from the standard are identified, including revoking certification compliance when appropriate?
❐ Yes ❐ No ❐ Partially Are there public complaints levied against the scheme for not following the procedures for suspending and withholding certification? ❐ Yes ❐ No ❐ Partially 14. Does Not Make Information on Audits, Complaints, or Compliance PublicDoes the scheme require certified entities (members) to publicly disclose their audits and remedial action plans? ❐ Yes ❐ No ❐ Partially |
This project is a collaboration among the following organizations:
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Copyright © 2024
Copyright © 2024