Auteur/autrice : Administrateur

Durabilité : Construire aujourd'hui pour bénéficier demain

Auteur de l’article Par Admin
Date de l’article 23 juin 2022

COVID-19 has elevated the debate of the importance of sustainability in the long-term, increasing awareness among many companies of the need to consider social, ethical, and environmental standards above short-term profits. While some companies have implemented strong environmental policies in recent years, others have seized the opportunity to embed sustainability into their ‘new normal’ operations instead of considering it a ‘nice to have.’

Whether it is the adoption of transformational sustainability strategies or an approach at a reduced scale, companies can benefit from implementing policies and sustainability programs that make societal sense, positively impact the planet, and result in long-term savings for the company. Brands are increasingly aware of the positive impact of sustainability and the need to incorporate it into their strategies, with 40% of companies having reinforced their sustainability commitments during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey from The Business of a Better World (BSR).

Source: ‘Corporate Sustainability & COVID-19’, May 2020, The Business of a Better World (BSR)

In an era of increasing consumer demand for environmental commitment, a solid sustainability strategy will not merely have a positive impact on customer preferences. It can also lead to economic savings as a result of, among other things, the reduction of water and energy consumption and waste.

To support brands on their path towards sustainability, API is launching a new series of free 30-minute sustainability webinars covering everything from adequate labeling and avoiding greenwashing to the analysis of the chemical management in the supply chain and the positive impact on savings that a sustainability strategy can bring. Register now for our upcoming webinars:

December 03 – Footprint Study and Labelling

How can you promote your sustainability practices without greenwashing?

Beginning with an overview of the different criteria required to calculate a product footprint, learn how to provide customers with verified information about ‘eco-labels.’

Register now

December 10 – Chemical Management in the Supply Chain
Brands, retailers, and suppliers are increasingly looking to improve their chemical management. The question remains: How do you assess the chemical risk and enhance the chemical performance of your supply chain?

Register Now

December 17 – Sustainability: Positive Impacts with Savings

While environmental sustainability is about taking care of the planet and its residents, it is also about saving money. Less waste, less consumption of water and energy, and fewer chemicals: sustainability is actually an investment in a company’s’ future.

In this webinar, our expert will share concrete examples of how using the right processes can help companies match their environmental goals with their bottom line.

Register Now

Interested in other topics or trainings?

Nous contacter

Actualités

Prochains webinaires sur le développement durable et la RSE

Auteur de l’article Par Admin
Date de l’article 23 juin 2022

The challenges faced by supply chains and the need to focus on short-term priorities have put CSR and sustainability efforts in the spotlight. Some companies have been struggling to maintain their path toward sustainability while adapting to the ‘new normal’. Others have taken the opportunity to rebuild and refocus on longer-term objectives and more sustainable supply chains.

‘In business, sustainability has become synonymous with credibility.’

In this context of a new normal, consumer preferences are also changing with an increase in the importance of social and environmental causes. According to a survey* by the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBM) in collaboration with the National Retail Federation (NRF), 6 in 10 consumers are willing to change their shopping habits to reduce their environmental impact.

To help companies in their sustainability efforts, API is launching a new series of sustainability webinars starting in November.

Stay tuned for more about our upcoming topics.

*Research study of 18,980 consumers in 28 countries

Nous contacter

Blogs

Complement Your Own Team

Auteur de l’article Par Admin
Date de l’article 23 juin 2022

The uncertain ‘new normal’ we’re facing is forcing companies around the world to adopt strategies and contingency plans that address new practical challenges, such as the reduction of workforces and international travel restrictions. However, companies need to think about the effects these changes will have on their consumers and minimize any potential negative impacts on these important relationships. Ensuring the same levels of safety and quality while guaranteeing an efficient time-to-market is critical. The consumer products and retail industry is already changing to align with these issues through speed, cost reduction, and customer focus.

Most commonly cited reasons for changes due to COVID-19 in ‘Consumer Products and Retail’ industry

Source: McKinsey & Company, ‘The need for speed in the post-COVID-19 era – and how to achieve it’ survey, September 2020

But how to achieve a customer-centered strategy with an enhanced time-to-market while considering cost-reduction needs at the same time? Some of the elements required when workforces are limited and travel is restricted are:

Increased flexibility
Faster response
Complementary know-how

An Extension of Your Own Team

To support companies in their path toward the new normal, API is cooperating with brands and retailers’ internal quality and audit teams to complement them on-demand with a 360° approach to quality that provides optional solutions.

Our complementary technical support

API’s complementary technical support allows companies to benefit from additional support only when and where it’s needed with the flexibility to adapt as required. Some of the added value of our solutions include:

Complementary technical solutions related to quality management: larger capabilities + deeper and upstream support (eg., remote golden sample validation with techno-visualization to assist locally during the product development stage).
Extended geo coverage: delivering ‘A to Z’ services with dedicated support in areas where clients are not present and that are not easy not easy to travel to.
Additional expertise in specific product categories: complementary knowledge and additional areas of expertise

Interested in learning more about our specific solutions?

Nous contacter

Blogs

Remote Support: An On-site Extension of Your Teams

Auteur de l’article Par Admin
Date de l’article 23 juin 2022

In the current context of travel disruption, the ‘normal practices’ adopted by many companies until now need to be reassessed. Brands and retailers must be present in factories in many cases to oversee requirements, including the evaluation of prototypes, the review of samples at the pre-production or production stage, and the selection of items for new collections. But how can companies achieve this given the current travel restrictions and without teams on-site? Occasionally, factories can send samples to the quality teams closest to them or even to the head office. However, in most circumstances, this solution would be too costly and time-consuming. To facilitate a quick decision process and speedy time-to-market, API has harnessed the latest video technology to develop a series of remote solutions.

Assess and approve your pre-production samples live or utilize a critical eye on-site during product selection, guided by the latest technology by our team of experts

Our solutions AT THE INITIAL PRODUCT LEVEL include:

Product sample review and validation

Full and precise evaluation of prototype sample, engineering sample or golden sample
Quality check at early stage to allow further corrections and improvement

Collection review in showroom via video call at the moment of product selection:

Sample review
Conformity / non-conformity identification on mechanical issues
Risks & issues anticipation
Recommendations for amelioration

Some of the benefits of our remote solutions are:

Guidance by a team of experts on-site
Possibility to follow live, real-time events at factory / showroom through the latest technology
Quality and compliant products
Faster time-to-market vs. international shipments for approval
Support though all manufacturing stages

Thanks to our in-depth manufacturing knowledge and boots-on-the-ground experience, we guide you through the most critical decision processes and support you remotely with the latest technology. API puts our teams of experts at your disposal who specialize in different product categories to support all your needs remotely. Interested in learning more about how we can support you remotely with these or other solutions?

Nous contacter

Actualités

Le développement durable, c'est important : Audits environnementaux ICS

Auteur de l’article Par Admin
Date de l’article 23 juin 2022

Increasing environmental pressure from governments and associations, and a more pronounced consumer preference for eco-friendly products, are making more and more companies aware of the need to speed up their sustainability journey.

68% of consumers rate sustainability as important
Source: CGS’s 2019 Retail and Sustainability Survey

To help them in this way, ICS – Initiative for Compliance and Sustainability – brings to its members a set of common tools to mutualize their audits, contributing to the reduction of audit fatigue and sharing knowledge and best practices.

ICS is an international sectorial initiative that aims to enhance working conditions among the global supply chains of its member retailers and brands. ICS is composed of 48 multinational retailers and brands in the textile, retail, footwear, electronics, and furniture sectors.*

API is accredited to perform ICS social et audits environnementaux to help ensure that suppliers and their supply chains are aligned with the ICS Environmental Code of Conduct. The main areas covered include:

Environmental management systems (EMS)
Energy use, transport, and greenhouse gases (GHGs)
Water use
Wastewater and wastewater effluent
Emissions to air and ozone-depleting substances (ODS)
Waste management
Pollution prevention, and hazardous and potentially hazardous substances
Major incident prevention and management

A dedicated environmental team with hands-on experience

Experienced with ICS environmental methodology
Knowledge of supply chain environmental sustainability
Led by the head of sustainability with a doctorate in sustainability (PhD) and more than 10 years’ experience
Bilingual with a clear understanding of specific local challenges and global expectations

Daily assessments in factories worldwide

API can support our customers in their environmental journey with 360° expertise in process, factories, and products.

Interested in learning more about our ICS environmental solutions?

*ICS logo and description are property of ICS

Nous contacter

Actualités

API au SYMPOSIUM VIRTUEL INTERNATIONAL DE L'ICPHSO 2020

Auteur de l’article Par Admin
Date de l’article 23 juin 2022

API is glad to be participating as a sponsor at the 2020 ICPHSO International Virtual Symposium. The event will take place on October 27–28, 2020, in conjunction with the European Commission’s International Product Safety Week.

The focus of this year’s international symposium is ‘Safely sustainable: exploring how the concept of sustainability is impacting and shaping consumer product safety.’

Nous contacter

Actualités

API Link™ : Nouvelles fonctionnalités de la plateforme en ligne de l'API

Auteur de l’article Par Admin
Date de l’article 23 juin 2022

API Link™, API’s new online platform, introduces a few additional features this month. In addition to the functions already revealed such as a 24/7 overview of ongoing and finished orders and order tracking with key milestones, customers can now benefit from:

Final decision on orders in 1 click: release or reject your orders faster than ever based on relevant data
Report summary: at-a-glance overview of all your reports
Online reports: easily accessible reports shared with different parties in 1 click and archived in a single platform
Confirmation of quotations online

Customers, suppliers and factories can benefit from increased visibility over processes and order status through API Link™ user-friendly dashboards.

Interested in learning more about our platform?

Nous contacter

Blogs

API at ICPHSO Annual Meeting and Training Symposium 2022

Auteur de l’article Par Admin
Date de l’article 23 juin 2022

API is glad to be participating as a sponsor at the 2022 ICPHSO Annual Meeting and Training Symposium. The event will take place on February 14–17, 2022 in Washington, D.C. The four-day Annual Meeting and Training Symposium provides an opportunity for global health and safety professionals to participate in discussions that further enhance the safety of consumer products throughout the world.

Will you also attend the event? Book an appointment to talk to our team!

Visit ICPHSO’s website for more details about the event: https://icphso.org/

Nous contacter

Blogs

SCIP – visibility over hazardous chemicals in products

Auteur de l’article Par Admin
Date de l’article 23 juin 2022

On September 14, 2021, the new SCIP Dissemination Portal by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) went live, giving the public access to information about substances of concern (SVHC) in articles as such or in complex objects (Products). The portal’s launch increases the transparency over chemicals of concern in products and will help track products containing substances of very high concern until they reach the waste stage. It also allows consumers to make more informed purchasing decisions and to choose safer products.

Since January 2021, companies that supply articles containing substances of very high concern (SVHC) on the Candidate List in a concentration above 0.1% weight by weight (w/w) in the EU market have been required to submit information on these articles to the ECHA. The notifications are stored in the SCIP (Substances of Concern in Products) database, and will be publicly available via the portal throughout the entire lifecycle of the products and materials – including the waste stage – contributing to a safer circular economy.

In a recent announcement, the ECHA said that around 6,000 companies across the European Union have already complied with this new obligation, with more than four million relevant article notifications registered in the SCIP database.

Based on the information gathered so far, the most notified product categories include:

Machinery and their parts
Measuring instruments and their parts
Electronic equipment and their parts
Vehicles and their parts
Articles made of rubber
Furniture.

Who needs to submit information?

Companies that supply articles containing substances of very high concern (SVHC) on the Candidate List in a concentration above 0.1% weight by weight (w/w) in the EU market are required to submit, including:

EU producers and assemblers
EU importers
EU distributors of articles and other actors who place articles on the market.

Retailers and other actors that supply articles directly to consumers are not obligated to submit this information to ECHA.

What information needs to be submitted?

Information relevant to the identification of the article;
Name, concentration range, and location of the SVHC; and
Other information on the safe use of the article, particularly if the above information is not sufficient to ensure the proper management of the article as waste.

Do you have any questions about how the new SCIP database requirements affect your business?

Nous contacter

Blogs

Germany’s new Supply Chain Due Diligence Act

Auteur de l’article Par Admin
Date de l’article 23 juin 2022

Many governments around the world are using legislation to drive responsible business practices and positive impacts on people’s working conditions. These laws require companies to manage their operational impacts on people and the environment and report on their efforts. It’s important to know which of these laws apply to your business and how to comply.

One of the most recent changes in this area is the new Human Rights Due Diligence Law adopted by the German parliament on June 11, 2021.

From 2023, this law will require large companies to conduct supply chain due diligence activities. Companies will need to identify, prevent, and address human rights and environmental abuses within their own and their direct suppliers’ operations, and take actions if they find violations.

The law aims to ensure that social and environmental standards are maintained in large companies’ operations and supply chains to address the following risks:

Forced labor
Child labor
Discrimination
Violations to freedom of association
Unethical employment
Unsafe working conditions
Environmental degradation.

Who does this new law affect?

From 2023: Companies based in Germany with more than 3,000 employees, or German-registered branches of foreign companies with more than 3,000 employees.
From 2024: Companies based in Germany with more than 1,000 employees, or German-registered branches of foreign companies with more than 1,000 employees.

What do the affected companies need to do?

Set up a process to identify, assess, prevent, and remedy human rights and environmental risks and impacts in:

1. Your supply chain
2. Your own operation.

Ensure you provide ways for employees of indirect suppliers to file a complaint alerting the company to any human rights or environmental violations.
Publish an annual report outlining the steps you have taken to identify and address these risks.

How can affected companies prepare for this change?

If this – or any similar law – applies to your business, it’s most important to have a clear internal process to understand and assess your supply chain:

Step 1: Define your scope

Map your suppliers and put in place a preliminary risk analysis to better understand your supply chain and current CSR capabilities.

Step 2: Pre-assess your suppliers’ CSR conditions

Conduct a deeper evaluation to identify your most reliable suppliers, the ones requiring action, and those with zero tolerance issues. You can then prioritize your program and create an action plan.

Step 3: Apply relevant actions based on identified risks and priorities

Deploy an adequate action plan based on the identified issues and their risk levels and implement remediation programs to improve the suppliers’ performance.

Many other countries have enhanced their regulations on human rights, such as:

Australia: Modern Slavery Act 2018
France: Corporate Duty of Vigilance Law
Germany: CSR Directive Implementation Act
India: Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting
Italy: Legislative Decree no. 254
United Kingdom: Modern Slavery Act 2015
United States: Transparency in Supply Chains Act 2012 (State of California).

How API can help you prepare for these legislative requirements:

Documentary review
Preliminary risk assessment to help you prioritize issues
Factory audit
Training
COC/manual/audit guidelines creation and review
Program benchmarking services for strategic suppliers.

Nous contacter

AUDIT D'USINE

LE CONTRÔLE DE LA QUALITÉ

DES SOLUTIONS INNOVANTES

EXPERTISE EN LABORATOIRE

ESG ET SOLUTIONS DE DÉVELOPPEMENT DURABLE

CONSEIL TECHNIQUE

Durabilité : Construire aujourd'hui pour bénéficier demain

Assess and approve your pre-production samples live or utilize a critical eye on-site during product selection, guided by the latest technology by our team of experts

Our solutions AT THE INITIAL PRODUCT LEVEL include:

Demande de devis