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Weekly Bulletin

 

June 5, 2012

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Events and Deadlines

 

June 4-6: WMC Training (Shanghai).

 

June 18-22: EICC-GeSI Labor & Ethics Training Course (Seoul).

 

July 17-19: Summer Meeting (Boston).

 

August 13-15: WMC Training (Guangzhou)

 

September 3-5: WMC Training (Singapore)

 

More . . .

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Board Report

 

The EICC Board of Directors took the following action today:

  • Governance Proposal: Approved a protocol to guide the membership vote.
  • 2012 Budget: Approved funding for specific items in the second half of the year.

Governance Recommendation Webinars: 

All Members Should Attend

 

The EICC Governance Task Force will host four webinars to present governance recommendations to EICC members for a vote.  The webinars will provide background on the task force work, present research that was conducted, and discuss results of the membership survey and interviews.  The final recommendation for a new governance model will also be presented, and members will be able to ask questions. 

 
The recommendations have been approved by the Governance Task Force and the Board of Directors.  The membership vote process will also be presented in the webinars.   All Full and Applicant members are encouraged to participate in one of the webinars. Contact Ben Bruno to register or for more information.                                  
  • Wednesday, June 13 at 7AM EST
  • Thursday, June 14 at 9 PM EST
  • Thursday, June 21 at 9 PM EST
  • Friday,June 22 at 3 PM EST

2012 EICC Compliance Data Reporting

 

The 2012 EICC Compliance Program data collection process and forms have been streamlined to improve conformance tracking.  The first data collection is July 13, which will cover activity thru June 30.  All Full Members are required to participate.

 

In addition, the VAP/CMA/AMA protocol will be available effective June 1.  A 45-day grace period will be provided to facilitate the transition.  No other protocols will meet the audit requirement after July 16.  Other changes to the reporting process were explained in the data collection form and through email last week.  Contact Anne Vogel-Marr for more information.

Training Webinar on SAQ Reporting 

 

The Tools Management Work Group will schedule a training webinar on reporting in EICC-ON.  The work group needs member input to determine what topics will be most valuable.  Please send suggestions for topics or reporting requirements to Grant Feictinger by close of business Wednesday, June 13.

Register Now for EICC Summer Meeting

July 17-19

 

The EICC Summer Meeting will be held July 17-19 at Gillette Stadium near Boston, MA.  The meeting agenda includes:

  • July 16: Board Meeting
  • July 17: Business Meeting
  • July 18: Work Group Workshops for All Members
  • July 19: Stakeholder Engagement

New Opportunities

 

The July 17 business meeting will be used to update members on organizational changes, tools and program improvements, and other association developments. The July 18 workshops will provide a new opportunity for all EICC members to participate in in-depth discussions with work groups about their key initiatives. The July 19 event will provide an opportunity for EICC members to focus on workforce issues and issues relating to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

 

Registration

  

Register for the meeting here.  Attendees are encouraged to register now for a room at the Renaissance Boston Hotel & Spa at Patriot Place. All other hotels are located 7-10 miles away from the meeting venue. Early hotel registration is available here.

 

Help Sponsor an Event

 

The meeting will be hosted by EMC, which is helping to cover some of the costs.  Other members are encouraged to help offset remaining costs for what we anticipate will be the largest and most successful membership meeting to date.  Contact Grant Feichtinger for more information about sponsorship opportunities.

Health & Safety Training: Feedback from Participants 

 

The L&CB Work Group launched the EICC health and safety training course on May 3.  The training materials were developed in partnership with UL Responsible Sourcing. Dell, Inc. hosted the training at its Malaysia facility, which was attended by 30 participants (thank you Dell!). 
 
The course helps facility managers overcome challenges to implementing effective health and safety programs, and build a culture in factories that promotes health and safety. The course applies a train-the-trainer model to help facility managers transfer knowledge to employees. The materials are available in Chinese and Spanish for EICC and GeSI members. A list of companies that attended the pilot and feedback from participants is available here.
 
EICC members and their suppliers are encouraged to use the training materials and sessions to build their health and safety capabilities.
 
Contact Jannie Bailey or Ben Bruno for more information or to host the session.

Audit Process and EICC-ON Enhancements

 

The VAP 4.0 Protocols are being used for all new audits scheduled outside of EICC-ON, and testing will begin this week on the VAP process in EICC-ON.  VAP audits with Audit Program Manager (APM) managed corrective action plans will be available for scheduling and management in EICC-ON beginning in late June.  Management of audits without corrective action plans in EICC-ON is expected in mid-September.

 
Contact APM/VECTRA for specific VAP questions and Grant Feichtinger with other questions.
 
APM Managed Corrective Action Plans

  
APM management of Corrective Action Plans (CAP) following an initial validated audit is now available.  CAP management by the APM provides auditees and customers with a rigorous and consistent corrective action and closure process.  It also ensures the CAP can be shared with multiple customers, and it eliminates the need for suppliers to engage with multiple customers to close audit findings.  APM managed CAPs standardize the CAP process and code interpretation, which creates a more straightforward closure process for suppliers.  APM management also creates a formalized process for auditee feedback to the CAP, and a process for monthly implementation and closure updates to all customers identified to receive VAP results.
 
APM management of a CAP consists of up to 3 reviews over 12 months, and provides gap analysis and an assessment of the status and strength of implementation.  There is a flat fee of $800.
 
Contact APM/VECTRA for more information.
 
VAP Escalation Process
A process has been created in the Validated Audit Process for auditees to file a complaint at any phase of an audit.  Auditees and audit buyers can follow these steps to get resolution for any complaints:  
  

  • Step 1: Address any complaint or inquiry to the Audit Program Manager (APM).
  • Step 2: Contact Patrick Neyts by email or mobile (+32-495-23-9088) in the event of unsatisfactory response from the APM or lack of timely resolution. 
  • Step 3: Contact audits@eicc.info in the event of further unsatisfactory response or lack of timely resolution. 

EICC members should redirect supplier complaints to the APM.
 
Update EICC-ON Web Pages
Additional EICC-ON resources are now available on the EICC website. The pages are written for EICC members and non-member suppliers, and contain general information about the system, FAQs, and user guides to register and complete SAQs.  The pages will be updated regularly.  The next update will include a user guide for scheduling VAP audits in the system. 

Worker-Management Communication Training Sessions

 

EICC and GeSI will sponsor three Worker-Management Communication Training sessions in 2012.  The "train the trainer" course will help member companies and their suppliers implement effective worker-management communication systems.  It also will raise worker awareness of their rights and responsibilities. 
 
Sessions and Registration
  • August 13-15: Hosted by Jabil in Guangzhou (Mandarin).
  • September 3-5: Hosted by EMC in Singapore (English).

Register for any of the sessions here. See an event summary here. Contact Jannie Bailey for more information. Contact INFACT Global Partners if your company is interested in using the training internally or with your suppliers.

EICC-GeSI Audit Courses Available

 

EICC-GeSI Labor & Ethics Lead Auditor courses are open for registration. Visit the Verite website for course descriptions and fee information. Fees include an online pre-study component and a five-day workshop.  Payment can be made directly through the website. Available courses include: 
  • Bangalore: June 11-15
  • Seoul: June 18-22
  • Bangkok: Aug. 13-17
  • Shenzhen: Sept. 10-14 (Mandarin)
  • US: Sep. 24-28
  • Mexico: Oct. 15-19 (Spanish)
  • Brazil: Nov. 5-9
  • Shenzhen: Dec. 10-14 (Mandarin)

Need Help?

Contact AMS staff at 202-962-0167


Programs: Brad Cameron
Operations: John Flatley
Member Services: Carrie Hoffman
Work Group Coordinator: Grant Feichtinger
Membership Assistant: Ben Bruno

Membership Compliance: Anne Vogel-Marr

Code Review Manager: Erin Hussey
External Communications: Wendy Dittmer (P. 512-934-8922)