is the online magazine of BSI Group, highlighting the vital role that standards play in today's business environment by helping organizations improve quality, save money, reduce risk and be more sustainable. Features include interviews with leading business figures, as well as news on the latest developments in management systems, standards, testing, healthcare and certification.
Primark's ethical auditing agenda
02 Jun 2009
Topics: Ethical trading, Fashion, Supply chain, Entropy Software
Primark, one of Europe's largest clothing retailers, has selected BSI's Entropy Software™, the web-based supply chain audit, compliance and performance management system, as part of its ethical trade strategy.
Primark, a subsidiary of Associated British Foods, is a major European brand operating out of 187 stores in the UK, Holland, Spain and Ireland (where it trades as Penneys). It employs in excess of 27,500 people and has hundreds of independent suppliers based mainly in China and South Asia. To improve standards in the factories that supply the company, Primark published a mandatory supplier code of conduct and joined the Ethical Trade Initiative in 2006.
The Entropy Software™ system is a key part of this strategy. It allows all supplier audits, non-conformances and remedial actions to be managed through a single, web-based platform, with global visibility and management control. This will help make the management of Primark's extensive independent auditing programme more efficient.
"This is a demonstration of Primark's commitment to having the best available solutions to help manage its supply chain, and to improve working conditions while maintaining competitive edge and quality in a fast-moving fashion environment," says Ray Ellis, a business systems analyst with Associated British Foods.
The Entropy Software™ solution also helps companies to address risk, compliance and performance management in areas of corporate governance, corporate social responsibility, environmental health & safety, quality, and supply chain compliance management.
"In recent years competitive pressures and globalization have led many high street retailers to rely on an ever-extending global supply chain," says Rob Wallis, managing director of BSI EMEA. "As a result, many big-brand companies have recognized the need to take responsibility for the ethical performance of their supply chain. Entropy Software™ can help to implement and manage controls that assist each supply chain to adhere to their compliance objectives, and ensure that risks associated with the supply chain are cost-effectively managed."
For more information, visit www.bsigroup.co.uk/entropy
Business Standards © 2010. Editorial produced by Caspian Publishing in association with The British Standards Institution. Editorial opinions expressed on are not necessarily those of BSI Group or Caspian Publishing. Neither Caspian Publishing nor BSI Group accept responsibility for advertising or editorial content, nor for that appearing on linked third-party websites. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without written permission from BSI Group or Caspian Publishing.
UK film industry pioneers sustainability standard developed by BSI
The British film industry, in conjunction with BSI, is taking the lead in the global entertainment market with the announcement at the Cannes Film Festival of a new British Standard that will improve the industry's environmental, social and economic impact. For example, in London alone, screen production accounted for 125,000 tonnes of carbon emissions in 2009, 40% of which came from studios and 28% from TV and film production.
Integra ICT Hits environmental high
Integra ICT, the Bedfordshire-based telecoms provider, has achieved certification to ISO 14001 Environmental management from BSI.
As part of its evolving governance, risk and compliance strategy, BSI has acquired the Supply Chain Security Division of First Advantage Corporation.
Sapphire earns a standards hat-trick
Sapphire Energy Recovery, the waste processing and resource recovery business owned by Lafarge Cement, has achieved certification to three management systems standards (ISO 9001 Quality management, ISO 14001 Environmental management and BS OHSAS 18001 Health and safety management) from BSI. Sapphire is the UK's leading processor of used tyres, and sources and manages the logistics of a range of waste-derived fuels and raw materials for the cement industry.
Monarch Airlines chooses BSI for its European Union Emission Trading System (EU ETS) verification
Monarch Airlines has selected BSI as its provider of verification services against the requirements of the EU ETS directive. This comes in response to the industry's requirement to monitor its CO2 emissions and demonstrate compliance with the directive by submitting a verified annual emissions report by 31 March every year from 2011 onwards.
Question: Do companies need to verify their carbon footprint?
Unless a business is regulated by some form of greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting and/or cap-and-trade regulation (as is the case for some 12,000 installations in Europe), rarely is there the need to either calculate or verify the accuracy of a carbon footprint.
Have a standards-related question for BSI or a comment on the website? We'll find the right person to answer.
