SA8000, Sedex Smeta, BSCI, Wrap - Corporate Social Responsibility System

1. WHAT IS BSCI?

BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative) is a code of conduct for social responsibility in business. The BSCI Code of Conduct sets out 11 requirements that companies participating in BSCI commit to gradually implementing throughout their supply chains. The BSCI Code of Conduct reflects the most important international labor standards aimed at protecting workers' rights, such as those from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and other key United Nations declarations, OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises, occupational health and safety & environmental standards, and the United Nations Global Compact.

2. BSCI CODE OF CONDUCT

BSCI operates based on the following 11 principles:

• Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining;
• Prohibition of discrimination;
• Fair remuneration;
• Working hours that meet requirements;
• Occupational health and safety;
• No use of child labor;
• Special protection for young workers;
• No precarious employment;
• No bonded labor;
• Environmental protection;
• Ethical business behavior.

3. PRINCIPLES OF BSCI

1. Commitment: Participants commit to implementing BSCI as part of their business relationships with manufacturers, demonstrating their willingness to improve working conditions within their supply chains.
2. Consistency: BSCI provides a single, unified system for manufacturers worldwide that includes a code of conduct and an implementation process, ensuring consistency and comparability in audits.
3. Inclusiveness: BSCI applies to both large and small companies and covers all industrially manufactured products originating from any country.
4. Development-oriented: BSCI is not a certification program; it offers a step-by-step developmental approach to help manufacturers gradually implement the code of conduct. Manufacturers who meet all BSCI requirements are encouraged to go further and achieve SA8000 certification.
5. Reliability: BSCI only uses auditing services from experienced and independent external organizations.
6. Focus on High-Risk Countries: BSCI concentrates on countries with high risks and frequent violations of workers’ rights, such as China, Bangladesh, India, Turkey, and others.
7. Efficiency: There is an existing database system of manufacturers to avoid duplicate audits at factories already included in the system.
8. Knowledge-Based: Integrates production-level research to develop knowledge and skills on how to improve working conditions within factories.
9. Collaboration: BSCI fosters the engagement of stakeholders in Europe and producing countries.

4. HOW SHOULD BSCI BE APPLIED TO ORGANIZATIONS?

The BSCI Code of Conduct applies to all organizations regardless of business type, location, or size.

It is voluntarily applied, focusing on developing management systems for social responsibility, occupational health and safety, and environmental protection.

Businesses participating in the global export market and supply chains are required to comply with the BSCI Code of Conduct.

5. WHY APPLY BSCI?

By implementing the Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI), companies demonstrate a strong commitment to ensuring fair working conditions in countries within their supply chains. Companies can show customers and partners that they not only talk about social responsibility principles but also apply them practically in their production and business activities. Additionally, companies save costs on multiple audits while establishing a solid foundation for future SA8000 certification audits.