FFC is an SLCP Accredited Host

As one of the Social and Labor Convergence Program (SLCP)'s accredited hosts, FFC is able to offer services for Facilities, Verifiers, and Buyers that are signatories of SLCP.  FFC is an industry innovator, and we are known for creating system solutions that are easy to use and lead to high adoption.  This was validated by user feedback to SLCP during light ops pilot phase.  FFC had the highest assessment completion rate and the highest ease of use feedback.  FFC was the most responsive to technical changes after light ops and the first AH to go live after light ops.

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FFC has been an Accredited Host since SLCP's inception. SLCP charges FFC a fee for all assessments on FFC, whether they were created and verified here or shared with FFC from another accredited host. FFC had been providing supplier assessment services for no charge as a contribution to help SLCP get off the ground. However, since FFC could continue to absorb the cost for assessments completed on our platform, effective 9th December 2021, FFC started assessing a $285 fee for suppliers that use the FFC platform to complete their self-assessment.

FFC has provided facilities the right to share SLCP assessment from other accredited hosts at no cost even though SLCP has been charging FFC for each such assessment.  Starting 17th February 2022, FFC will pass on these charges to the factories.  Facilities that perform their assessments and verifications on FFC will not be charged these fees because they are already covered in their registration. We are now implementing a nominal fee of $60 for facilities that create the SLCP assessment on another Accredited Host but share with members in FFC platform. 

Facility – click here

Verifier – click here

Buyers (Members, Brands) use the FFC application to request a facility to conduct an SLCP assessment

Value added services for buyers:

As FFC works with some of the world’s leading apparel brands, they have guided us to develop value added SLCP services to help them take full advantage of verified SLCP assessments. As a result, FFC has developed an expert system with two innovative methods for members to analyze a verified SLCP assessment for situations that they consider an out of compliance finding. FFC introduced this exciting SLCP development in light operations testing in 2018, and it has already proven to be valuable addition to FFC’s supplier corrective action management system.

Facility search:

FFC provides multiple ways that a member can manage their supply chains and search for current and prospective suppliers. Our supply chain tools have now been modified to identify facilities that are in the process of conducting an SLCP, or have completed one and it has been verified.

Verified SLCP mapping to a company’s supplier code of conduct:

FFC Is already providing two methods for members to map verified SLCP assessments against brand-specific supplier codes of conduct. Early  adopters of these two solutions are thrilled with the results and the impact this kind of tool will have on their overall compliance program.

Overview of FFC’s SLCP mapping:

Step 1: Establish a company specific SLCP reference

FFC has developed an easy to use MS-Excel tool to allow buyers to identify the “correct” response to SLCP questions to be consistent with their specific company code of conduct. The updated spreadsheet becomes a fixed part of each FFC member’s master data, and is used in step 2 to compare an actual verified SLCP to this reference. The purpose of establishing a reference is so any facility responses from an actual verified SLCP that are different from the buyers “correct” response can be considered non-compliances or findings. There are more settings available in the downloaded spreadsheet for establishing compliance classifications, grouping and ungrouping SLCP parent child questions, and ignoring SLCP questions.

Step 2: Translate SLCP findings into a corrective action plan

After the SLCP Member Response sheet is uploaded to master data, the data set contains all the instructions needed to process a SLCP verified self-assessment into a set of findings (corrective action plan) corresponding to the brand company’s code of conduct. The second step is to select a method to present the FFC expert system identified corrective actions. FFC members have requested two different methods to do this in the same order of SLCP categories, or to present the findings in the classification order of a buyer’s code of conduct. FFC full members and Limited License members chose from one of two methods to do this:

• Method 1: Present findings and corrective actions matched to the SLCP question categories and order. Under method 1, the FFC corrective action management system has been enhanced to display the SLCP questions and verified responses, as well as the out of compliance findings and corrective actions in the standardized SLCP compliance categories. The pros of this approach: Findings and corrective actions can be presented to the facility in the context of the SLCP that they completed in the first place, and because the buyer is expressing findings in a standardized assessment tool format, it would be easier to collaborate with other buyers on corrective actions and supplier capacity building. (FFC provides a complete collaboration and sharing tool for members interested in doing this.) The cons of this approach: SLCP is rolling out country by country over time, and is not yet a universal program. Expressing out of compliances in the SLCP format will require buyers to operate in a dual mode until the transition to SLCP is complete.
• Method 2: Present findings and corrective actions matched to the buyer’s question categories and order. FFC allows members to build and utilize a single or multiple simultaneous assessment questionnaires to match supplier segmentation strategies, and supplier risk categories. Users can build all of their supplier questionnaires with no programming required. Under method 2, the FFC corrective action management system has been enhanced to display the SLCP questions and verified responses, as well as the out of compliance findings and corrective actions in the members selected assessment tool categories and question sequence. The pros of this approach: SLCP is rolling out country by country over time, and is not yet a universal program, so under method 2, SLCP findings and corrective actions can reviewed and analyzed in a consistent format with existing compliance activities.
• Overall SLCP scoring:  In addition to the optional methods of creating CoC-based findings from verified SLCP assessments, FFC has already helped several brands create company-specific scoring and assessment grade assignment for both methods.  This is helpful so SLCP assessments can fit into a brand’s overall reporting or supplier risk management framework.

Step 3 (Optional): Collaboration with other FFC members that source at the same facility.

FFC facilitates sharing of information relating to workplace conditions among FFC members to promote transparency in accordance with antitrust and anti-competition guidelines. This results in a global clearinghouse of factory information, allowing members to identify common needs for workplace improvement, prioritize them and attack them together. Collaboration lowers costs, reduces labor load, increases learning, improves leverage and enhances factory performance. However, collaboration and sharing is optional for each member in every regard.

Summary of benefits for buyers to use FFC:

• Search suppliers to identify where your facilities overlap with other members’ facilities to reveal opportunities for collaboration.
• Identify supplier’s SLCP progress status.
• Communicate with other members to explore collaboration –either directly or through a double blind communication system.
• Use of two FFC unique solutions to map a member’s supplier code of conduct against a verified SLCP and automatically create a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for any facility conditions found to be in non-compliance. This can include member specific SLCP scoring.
• Conduct a joint audit and share reports on the FFC platform, and/or exchange Lead Brand responsibility for successive audits while sharing direct access to each set of results.
• Access information posted to the FFC “sharing platform” by other members about issues they are actively remediating in facilities.
• FFC’s offers a tiered limited license membership for buyers wishing to utilize FFC AH’s services on a per factory basis. 

To learn more about collaboration options on FFC, click here.

To learn more about FFC membership options and the cost of Annual dues, click here.