Data Sharing

One of the crucial tools the BSCI offers to its participants is the BSCI database in which all producer profiles and information on auditing is entered and shared exclusively between BSCI participants. Sharing this information is important for our participants as it avoids unnecessary and costly multiple audits. The database also helps to track non-compliance issues thereby highlighting where training of producers is necessary. Finally, the audit statistics available in the database allows us to evaluate the concrete results of our activities. 

Results

The BSCI database contains more than 20.000 audits. By region, the main sourcing countries where BSCI audits are performed are China (71%), Bangladesh (7%) and India (6%).

The fields of major non-compliances are linked to problems in the documentation, working time, compensation and to a certain extent to health and safety issues. All these non-compliances are linked to a lack of good management practice. Moreover, some issues are difficult to tackle in an audit - mainly discrimination, freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining. For all these reasons, the BSCI and its participants increasingly focus on capacity building in supplier countries and especially on specific training sessions on management practices; because if this improves, many other issues can be solved more easily. 

Additionally, the "stakeholder relations" in Europe and especially in supplier countries can help to bring great improvement in workers lives.