Responsible Business Alliance (RBA)
The Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) is the world's largest industry coalition dedicated to responsible business conduct in the global supply chain, particularly in the electronics sector but also suitable for other industries. It provides a standardized framework, the RBA Code of Conduct, to assist RBA members in achieving these objectives.
Consumers nowadays are becoming increasingly conscious of the ethical implications of their purchases; businesses are under more pressure than ever to demonstrate their commitment to responsible practices.
The RBA provides a framework for companies to showcase this commitment and facilitate them in meeting high standards of ethical conduct.
Key Components of the Audit:
Environmental Standards: Evaluates a company's environmental practices. It looks into areas, like waste management, energy usage, emissions control and more.
Labor Rights and Social Standards: Another crucial aspect focuses on ensuring that fair treatment, proper compensation, and safe working conditions are provided to employees. It aims to safeguard labor practices within the company.
Ethical Business Practices: The audit also examines broader ethical considerations, such as supplier relationships, governance structures, and overall corporate integrity.
Types of RBA Audits:
VALIDATED ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
RBA Validated Assessment Program (VAP) Assessments are carried out on RBA member facilities and their suppliers' facilities are completed by independent, third-party firms specially trained in social and environmental auditing and the VAP protocol.
RBA selects an approved third-party firm to conduct the VAP assessment based on an online bidding process.
Findings from VAP assessments are rated by severity as “minor,” “major” or “priority.” All three categories of findings have specified periods of time during which the facility in question must remedy the findings and implement systems to prevent reoccurrences. Remedy and prevention measures are part of corrective action plans (CAPs).
CUSTOMER-MANAGED AUDITS (CMAS)
RBA members may choose not to use the Validated Assessment Program for their supply chain sustainability audits (although they must use the RBA VAP protocol for their audits). Members that choose not to use the VAP can complete approved customer-managed audits (CMAs) or auditee-managed audits (AMAs) if they use an approved third-party audit firm, have their auditors approved by the RBA Assessment Program Manager, and execute the RBA VAP protocol in its entirety.
CUSTOMIZED ASSESSMENT
The RBA has also added a modular approach to assessing a facility, to provide users with flexibility, efficiency, and cost-savings when more comprehensive assessments are unnecessary. The service is called Customized Assessment and is completely in the control of the requestor. The Customized Assessment allows the user to select elements of the RBA Code of Conduct based on their specific needs.
