27 Initiatives and engagement
3 system and that the audit should result in a good grade .
An amfori BSCI-audit results in an overall grade between A-F to summarize the supplier ’ s performance . The audit takes into account the actual working conditions as well as management systems and policies established to ensure a systematic work . In total , 13 different areas are assessed , corresponding to the requirements in the Code of Conduct . The most common grade is C , which can be translated into “ Acceptable ”. There are usually some non-compliances that must be handled , but the labor conditions do not violate the Code of Conduct or pose an immediate threat to workers health and safety . Common noncompliances could be excessive overtime work or lack of documentation . To address such issue requires dedication and the ability of production planning . It is important to have a long-term perspective and work for continuous improvements . All suppliers have signed the Code of Conduct as part of the Business Agreement .
INSPECTIONS AND VISITS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC Due to the spread of COVID-19 , our contracted factories have been greatly impacted . Throughout the year , there have continued to be limitations on physical visits . As a result , many scheduled audits have been postponed , cancelled , or temporarily conducted digitally . However , with fewer restrictions and societies reopening , we can once again conduct more visits and physical audits to the same extent as before .
INTERNATIONAL ACCORD FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE GARMENT AND TEXTILE INDUSTRY The original Accord – or the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh – came into force in 2013 , only weeks after the Rana Plaza disaster where a factory building collapsed . New Wave Group signed the agreement , which was a legally binding five-year agreement for improved safety in the textile industry in Bangladesh with focus on structural , electrical and fire safety . The agreement meant , among other things , that factories undergo electrical and building inspections as well as training and education in fire safety .
The Accord brough important changes that would not otherwise have been possible in such a short period of time , but when the agreement expired it was a fact that still a lot of work remained to secure all necessary measures before the follow-up work could be handed over to the local government and authorities . Therefore , the so-called Transition Agreement entered into force in may 2018 with a clear handover phase . New Wave Group signed the new agreement , which lasted until May 2021 .
After long negotiations the Transition Agreement was in September 2021 replaced by the International Accord , which New Wave Group has also signed . There are mainly two differences compared with previous agreements : On one part it is not just about fire and building safety anymore but also about the general work environment . On the other part it is an international agreement thar can be implemented also in other production countries , hence the name change .
The Accord directly affects two million workers , making it one of our most important social responsibility project .
Read more on www . internationalaccord . org
98 %
98 % of the purchasing volume through the purchasing offices are from third-party audited factories .
13
C
C is the most common grade in an amforiaudit , graded on a scale from A-F .
In an amfori-audit , 13 different areas areassessed , corresponding to the requirements in the Code of Conduct .