Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production
Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) is an independent, objective, non-profit team of global social compliance experts dedicated to promoting safe, lawful, humane and ethical manufacturing around the world through certification and education. The WRAP certification program mainly focuses on the apparel, footwear and sewn products sectors.
WRAP's 12 Principles
The WRAP Principles are based on generally accepted international workplace standards, local laws and workplace regulations which encompass human resources management, health and safety, environmental practices, and legal compliance including import/export and customs compliance and security standards:
- Compliance with Laws and Workplace Regulations
- Prohibition of Forced Labor
- Prohibition of Child Labor
- Prohibition of Harassment or Abuse
- Compensation and Benefits
- Hours of Work
- Prohibition of Discrimination
- Health and Safety
- Freedom of Association & Collective Bargaining
- Environment
- Customs Compliance
- Security
Certification Process
1. Application
A production facility submits basic information to WRAP and pays a registration fee of US$1195.
2. Self-Assessment
Facilities complete a self-assessment of their facility to show that they have been utilizing socially-compliant practices for a minimum of 90 days (for new facilities; facilities seeking re-certification are expected to have been compliant throughout their preceding certification period).
3. Monitoring
After submitting their self-assessment, the facility selects a WRAP-accredited monitoring organization to audit the facility against WRAP's 12 Principles. The audit must be successfully passed within 6 months of paying the registration fee to avoid having to re-register.
4. Evaluation
WRAP will review the monitor's audit report and decide whether or not to certify the facility. If WRAP decides not to issue a certification, the facility will be notified of the corrections that need to be made and the monitoring firm will conduct an additional inspection. If the facility does not satisfactorily implement the recommendations within the original six-month period, it must renew its application and pay the registration fee again.
5. Certification
The certificate issued to a facility is determined by WRAP and depends on the extent to which the audit indicates full compliance and management commitment to the WRAP Principles.
Certification Levels
PLATINUM (Valid for 2 years)
A facility must maintain a Gold certification for at least 3 consecutive years before it can be considered for Platinum certification. All Platinum-certified facilities must successfully pass each audit with no corrective actions and maintain continuous certification in order to remain Platinum (a facility whose certification lapses for any reason must hold a Gold certification for at least 3 consecutive years before it can regain Platinum status).
GOLD (Valid for 1 year)
Gold certifications are awarded to facilities that demonstrate full compliance with WRAP's 12 Principles during an audit.
- NOTICE: Any facility that cannot show complete and accurate records regarding wages and/or working hours during ANY audit (initial, re-certification, or post-certification) will automatically lose eligibility for Platinum and Gold certification for their current period. This includes any violations of Principles 5 or 6 where WRAP monitors indicate issues with record keeping or cannot verify them due to inconsistencies.
SILVER (Valid for 6 months)
A facility may request a Silver level certification if an audit finds that it is in substantial compliance with the WRAP principles, but has minor non-compliances in policies, procedures or training that need to be addressed. Facilities seeking certification through this route must request a Silver certificate in writing from a WRAP office at the conclusion of their first formal audit as a certificate will not be automatically issued. Important points to note in this regard are:
•Facilities may not have any "red flag" non-compliances such as child labor, egregious health & safety or environmental issues, prison labor, forced or involuntary labor, or harassment or abuse of employees.
•Facilities must demonstrate that their employees are paid at least the minimum wage and any required overtime compensation.
Alternatively, the WRAP Review Board may issue a Silver certificate if any of these criteria are met:
The facility is a first-time applicant and has demonstrated difficulty in achieving full compliance or has shown non-material non-compliances in one of these areas:
•working hours
•training and communications with employees
•payment of regular wages and overtime premiums
•any other factors that would bar the facility from being granted a Gold certificate
The facility is applying for a re-certification, but non-material non-compliances are found during the audit
Special Notices for Silver Certifications:
All Silver-certified facilities wishing to renew their certification must reapply prior to the expiration of their certificate, pay a reduced registration fee of US$895, and demonstrate improvement toward achieving Gold certification at the subsequent audit.
A facility may be awarded no more than 3 consecutive Silver certificates. If a facility fails to achieve full compliance within this time period, its certification will be revoked, however the facility may reapply for certification using its original registration number following a waiting period of 6 months.
Facilities that have two successive "clean" audits will be eligible for a Gold certificate.
Training Program
WRAP administers a comprehensive training program that has become one of the leaders in the industry. All of WRAP's accredited monitors must undergo an intensive 5-day Lead Auditor Course and attend regular refresher training sessions in order to maintain accreditation. Additionally, WRAP offers a 2-day Internal Auditor Course for factory personnel charged with maintaining compliance in a facility. WRAP has also been a leader with its Fire Safety Awareness Course that focuses on the prevention of fires via the 5-step Risk Assessment Process
