Workplace Conditions Assessment (WCA)

Brands and international buyers are demanding more effective measures for evaluating suppliers’ workplace conditions. Factories are also becoming more proactive in finding ways to benchmark themselves and track progress against competitors and national standards. We have seen a significant shift towards greater transparency and the implementation of sophisticated, yet practical, tools for assessing continuous improvement.

The Workplace Conditions Assessment (WCA) program provides a powerful, cost-effective solution for companies and facilities seeking to improve workplace conditions efficiently and in accordance with widely accepted industry standards and best practices.

Anchored in Intertek’s extensive social compliance expertise, WCA has emerged as a powerful tool for evaluating, benchmarking and continuously improving supplier workplace conditions.  The program is supported by a web-based platform that automates and streamlines the audit process, increasing efficiencies for all supply chain partners.  

WCA addresses the following and more:

• Labor (Child/Forced Labor, Discrimination, Discipline, Harassment/Abuse, Freedom of  Association, Labor Contracts)
• Wages and Hours (Wages and Benefits; Working Hours)
• Health and Safety (General Work Facility, Emergency Preparedness, Occupational Injury, Machine Safety, Safety Hazards, Chemical and Hazardous Material, Dormitory and Canteen)
• Management Systems (Documentation and Records, Worker Feedback and Participation, Audits and Corrective Action Process)
• Environment (Legal Compliance, Environmental Management Systems, Waste and Air Emissions)  

WCA benefits your business by enabling:

•  Improved work conditions for a more content, healthier and productive workforce
•  Better decision-making support based on real-time data and knowledge management
•  Good corporate governance and ‘preferred supplier’ status for implementing a program that is in full accordance with industry best practices
•  Improved confidence in partnerships with suppliers through greater transparency and trust
•  Reduction in excessive auditing and duplication (“audit fatigue”)
•  Suppliers to showcase progress with a ‘Record of Achievement’ Award