For Brands & Suppliers

We understand how labor codes, sourcing decisions, business capabilities, and cultures affect conditions.

We are uniquely effective in assessing and improving working conditions, as well as exploring policy issues within the public and private sectors. Our approach has been to bridge the chasms that often exist between corporations, trade unions, governments, NGOs, and workers. We do this by working collaboratively with all stakeholders to bring their leverage to bear on the systemic causes of labor abuse.

IMPACT:

Verité’s consulting has helped a Fortune 100 company redesign its supply chain responsibility efforts to eliminate child labor on farms around the world.

For more information on these or any of our other services, email us or call +413-253-9227.

For Brands

Planning for Impact
Verité helps companies link their activities with intended outcomes through the Planning for Impact Framework. Leveraging our experience in the development sector, we use an approach that charts a pathway to measurable change. We identify concrete opportunities to implement best practice structures, systems, and processes. Additionally, we help set immediate and longer-term goals for continuous improvement both internally and at key junctures in the supply chain.
 
Verité guides companies in the segmentation of their supply base in order to use their resources strategically. Our Segmentation Process is designed to identify and prioritize suppliers and to differentiate monitoring and capability building investments. Unlike risk scoring that uses “country” as a primary filter, our Risk Matrix segments suppliers into categories based on a combination of labor/environmental and operational risk factors.
Program Evaluation
We consult with brands to chart strategic opportunities to advance supplier performance in support of company business goals. Our approach illuminates strengths and weaknesses within a Social Responsibility (SR) program. Components of our evaluation include interviews with key players and a review of systems, structure, goals, policies, and processes. Verité's experience supporting companies' efforts to update, streamline, and improve their SR programs has allowed us to identify the characteristics of and best practices in effective, ethical sourcing programs. We have an extensive understanding of common obstacles to effective implementation of such programs as well as the solutions to overcome them.
Program Assurance & Consulting
This approach helps companies avoid risk by putting proactive measures in place. We help Tier 1 suppliers build the supply chain management systems that effectively screen their customers’ brands to avoid risk, thus qualifying them for self-governance of their supply chain. We identify areas of strength and weakness, including supplier selection, communication, and monitoring, and have identified a range of strategic interventions for critical suppliers to manage risk of non-compliance with their client’s Codes of Conduct.

For Suppliers

Program Evaluation
We consult with suppliers to chart strategic opportunities to advance their performance in support of their own and their customers’ business goals. Our approach illuminates strengths and weaknesses within a Social Responsibility (SR) program. Components of our evaluation include interviews with key players and a review of CSR systems, policies, and procedures with an aim toward sustainable long-term improvement. We have extensive experience consulting with suppliers - large to small – to improve their own SR program while effectively meeting the expectations of their clients.
Program Assurance & Consulting
This approach helps suppliers avoid risk by putting proactive measures in place. We help Tier 1 suppliers build the supply chain management systems that effectively screen their customers’ brands to avoid risk, thus qualifying them for self-governance of their supply chain. We identify areas of strength and weakness, including selection of next tier suppliers, communication, and monitoring, and have identified a range of strategic interventions them to manage risk of non-compliance with their client’s Codes of Conduct.
Performance Improvement Program
This is a flexible and cost-effective assessment, consultation, training, and capability building engagement based on a continuous improvement model. The customized six-to-twelve-month programs are designed for farms and factories to understand standards and effective management systems as well as close compliance gaps. We then help build the systems, strategies, knowledge, and skills needed to meet the standards of customers’ social responsibility programs, which support a positive work environment and are good for business. We utilize our Assessments afterward to ensure that standards are being maintained.