Home » Chemical Challenge » 2. Use of safer chemicals » 2.5 Do the brands have a policy for using the same high standards globally and for forbidding transfer of harmful chemicals and/or practices to suppliers in developing countries?

2.5 Do the brands have a policy for using the same high standards globally and for forbidding transfer of harmful chemicals and/or practices to suppliers in developing countries?

Original question as formulated in the survey: Do EICC member companies have a corporate policy to use the same high standards globally and which forbids the transfer of harmful chemicals and/or practices to suppliers in developing countries?

EICC self-score: Chemical Challenge Gap Analysis - Green (No gap)

EICC justifies this score by referring to VAP Protocol C3.1 and E12.

GoodElectronics and ICRT score: <Chemical Challenge Gap Analysis - Red (Large gap)

GoodElectronics and ICRT emphasise the need to prevent harmful chemicals and/or chemical processes that are prohibited or restricted in the US and in Europe from being used by supplier factories in developing countries. Also, VAP Protocol C3.1 seems to only address environmental issues, forgoing occupational health and safety. Again, the VAP Protocol does not provide any definition of adequacy or verifiability, so there is no way for auditors commissioned by EICC or individual brands to evaluate the level compliance by a supplier. VAP Protocol E12  does not contain any language about preventing the transfer of harmful chemicals and/or chemical practices to suppliers; it only includes very general language about communicating requirements.

Further reading

‘Meeting the Challenge’ on the use of safer chemicals

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