Alongside the monitoring process, BSCI provides capacity building activities to both participating companies and suppliers in Europe and in sourcing countries. We do this in various ways: through initial awareness-raising sessions; e-learning tools; in-house trainings; info seminars; and advanced issue-specific workshops.

These activities help build the knowledge, skills and ownership required to achieve sustainable improvements in social compliance. The focus and content of the capacity building sessions are adapted to the audiences and also priority issues and main non-compliances in a given country or region.

Training for BSCI participants

Information seminars
Information seminars serve to introduce the BSCI development-oriented system to the CSR, quality, buying, communication or any other relevant department of a BSCI participant. In order to ensure all our participants start with the same knowledge and are able to benefit identically from the BSCI involvement, the information seminars are mandatory for all new participants.

Training for buyers
The BSCI also organises training sessions tailor-made for social compliance managers and buyers. Time and cost pressure can prevent suppliers from implementing the BSCI Code of Conduct. These seminars help to integrate the idea of the BSCI into daily business and decision making processes, especially of those staff members who - like the buyers - have a close relationship with suppliers. The training sessions help buying organisations to avoid day to day friction and lead to a long term improvement of the quality and performance at competitive costs.

Training for suppliers

BSCI develops adapted training activities open for the suppliers of all BSCI participants.  

Awareness raising workshops
On a regular basis BSCI organises awareness raising workshops to introduce the producers to the BSCI monitoring process and its requirements based on ILO Conventions and national labour legislation. The workshops are particularly aimed at those suppliers and subcontractors who have not yet been engaged in an audit. 

Advanced workshops
BSCI also organises projects to provide the middle management of the suppliers with the knowledge, skills and the tools to successfully fulfil the BSCI requirements. These trainings typically take place after an audit has been done, and focus on what are the most common non-compliances that are particularly problematic in a certain area/ country or among certain producers. 

Many organisations – including governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations and trade unions – are already running programmes to deal with specific local problems, including labour related issues. If BSCI sees the possibility to promote these programmes, to engage suppliers in local activities or to cooperate in developing the necessary local skills, it will take that opportunity. 

In 2010, we reached more than 2,800 supplier representatives, through 61 workshops across 16 countries. In 2011, we will continue to expand our activities in this area.

BSCI Suppliers and Participants Trained per Country in 2010 (attendees)