SAI Supports OEKO-TEX® 'STeP' Auditor Training
SAI trains OEKO-TEX® auditors to assess social working conditions in textile facilities
Jun 26, 2013 10:15 AM ET
Read the article on SAI's website
As SA8000 auditors and trainers, Doug DeRuisseau and Badri Gulur were able to contribute their long-standing experience to the workshop. Using practical examples from the textile industry, the auditors learned how different the social conditions can be in the facilities and the complexities of social auditing, which points require special attention and how to manage difficult situations.
"The most valuable part of such a training," says OEKO-TEX® product manager David Pircher, "is sharing experience." Regular meetings amongst OEKO-TEX® auditors as well as with specialists from organizations such as SAI are planned to ensure the continuing exchange of experiences from the audits. "This type of partnership," Mr. Pircher explains, "is a valuable and economically practical way of achieving a goal together - making the world a little better."
The auditors can now use the practical case studies as a basis for conducting their everyday facility audits. The preconditions for a professional qualification level of all STeP auditors are practical experience and the uniform application through all OEKO-TEX® member institutes and Representative Offices. Those that do not yet have the required experience for the facility visits will be accompanied by a qualified expert.
About "Sustainable Textile Production (STeP)" by OEKO-TEX® With STeP, OEKO-TEX® offers a new modular certification system for sustainable production facilities along the textile chain. Based on a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of all relevant company areas such as social responsibility, quality management, environmental management, chemicals management, pollution control and occupational health and safety, OEKO-TEX® STeP is an optimised, independent certification system for companies seeking transparent and verified sustainable textile and apparel production. By means of a scoring system, OEKO-TEX® STeP provides global textile brands, retail companies and manufacturers with trustworthy and transparent documentation and benchmarking of their investments in sustainable and cleaner production. For more details about STeP certification please visit www.oeko-tex.com/step. For more information, contact SAI Field Services Director Doug DeRuisseau - DDeRuisseau@sa-intl.org.
"The most valuable part of such a training," says OEKO-TEX® product manager David Pircher, "is sharing experience." Regular meetings amongst OEKO-TEX® auditors as well as with specialists from organizations such as SAI are planned to ensure the continuing exchange of experiences from the audits. "This type of partnership," Mr. Pircher explains, "is a valuable and economically practical way of achieving a goal together - making the world a little better."
The auditors can now use the practical case studies as a basis for conducting their everyday facility audits. The preconditions for a professional qualification level of all STeP auditors are practical experience and the uniform application through all OEKO-TEX® member institutes and Representative Offices. Those that do not yet have the required experience for the facility visits will be accompanied by a qualified expert.
About "Sustainable Textile Production (STeP)" by OEKO-TEX® With STeP, OEKO-TEX® offers a new modular certification system for sustainable production facilities along the textile chain. Based on a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of all relevant company areas such as social responsibility, quality management, environmental management, chemicals management, pollution control and occupational health and safety, OEKO-TEX® STeP is an optimised, independent certification system for companies seeking transparent and verified sustainable textile and apparel production. By means of a scoring system, OEKO-TEX® STeP provides global textile brands, retail companies and manufacturers with trustworthy and transparent documentation and benchmarking of their investments in sustainable and cleaner production. For more details about STeP certification please visit www.oeko-tex.com/step. For more information, contact SAI Field Services Director Doug DeRuisseau - DDeRuisseau@sa-intl.org.
