Program Assessment

Our Program Assessment work helps companies chart strategic opportunities to advance supplier performance in the context of company business goals.

Verité’s experience supporting companies’ efforts to update, streamline and strengthen their Social Responsibility (SR) programs has allowed us to identify the characteristics of and best practices in effective ethical sourcing programs.  We have also built an extensive understanding of common obstacles to effective implementation of such programs.
 

Our approach illuminates strengths and weaknesses within a company’s SR program.  Components of the Assessment are key informant interviews and a review of systems, structure, goals, policies and processes.  Our experts interview the managers and directors both in the field and at headquarters. Our analysis identifies both strengths and structural- and management systems-oriented obstacles to implementing the most effective, sustainable labor protections within the company’s supply chain.

 

The Assessment typically incorporates the following components:

  • An analysis of problem solving approaches and processes, as well as the obstacles to successful engagement at the field level, through a detailed review of a representative sample of ‘stalled’ or problematic remediation programs.
  • A Capacity Needs Assessment based on surveys of field teams charged with identifying issues and/or managing change at the facility level.
  • A Program Management Systems Assessment, conducted through documents review and interviews at the senior management and regional management level , to identify opportunities for strengthening facility-level outcomes. This includes an evaluation of  the functionality of such components as:
    • Supplier selection /engagement criteria and protocols
    • Supplier communication and guidance processes
    • SR management systems
    • Monitoring/factory diagnostic systems, tools, protocols
    • Key Performance Indicators
    • Performance improvement planning processes
    • Stakeholder engagement plan
    • Staffing and competency requirements
  • Reporting of conclusions and recommendations for ways to leverage program strengths, increase team support, and streamline policies and practices for the most effective implementation.