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· The updated, risk rated IETP Audit Checklist

The Remediation Program aims to elevate suppliers’ standards on social compliance management, reduce the number of audits needed, and empower them through effective technical support to resolve challenging issues permanently. The 9 and 12-month Remediation Programs offer targeted capability building support to suppliers as an alternative to the existing IETP Probation Program.

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to meet many passionate CSR professionals during the Responsible Business Summit Asia 2016 in Singapore, of which ICTI Ethical Toy Program is a promotional partner, and saw our CEO, Carmel Giblin speak on two panels. The theme for the first day was 'Business Strategy and Supplier Collaboration' and the second day was 'Stakeholder Engagement and Business Strategy'.As we can see from the title of the themes, the emerging trend nowadays is moving from philanthropy towards creating shared value (CSV), and developing a business strategy that incorporates corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the daily operations of a business.Industry experts from AkzoNobel, BASF, Levi Strauss & Co, Adidas Group, Syngenta, The Body Shop, ICTI Ethical Toy Program, and Huawei shared their learning journeys with many great examples illustrating how companies can engage internal staff, suppliers, and establish partnerships with multi-stakeholders (even competitors) to create shared value for all.If you are not familiar with the term shared value, here’s a simple definition: 'shared value is a management strategy focused on companies creating measurable business value by identifying and addressing social problems that intersect with their business. The shared value framework creates new opportunities for companies, civil society organizations, and governments to leverage the power of market-based competition in addressing social problems'.CSV appears to generate lots of opportunities, but what I’ve found during the Q&A sessions and the conversations between some practitioners was that although a lot of businesses have great intentions and lofty goals to further develop their own sustainability strategies, many are uncertain of where to start.Here're six questions to ask yourself when you begin your thinking process:

The panel, moderated by Ian Spaulding from ELEVATE, resulted in an engaging discussion between industry experts on topics such as innovation, industry trends and key insights within supply chains.

Sponsoring our FFS demonstrates your company’s commitment to promoting worker well-being in the toy supply chain. Funding this work is also an effective way of integrating child rights into your corporate social responsibility strategy and meeting other commitments such as those related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Children’s Rights and Business Principles.

In addition to the OHS advice given by the ILO, the ICTI Ethical Toy Program (IETP) also reminds factories on how they can help curb the spread of COVID-19 by paying attention to all workspaces and other areas where workers gather including canteens and dormitories.

In addition to toys, IETP Certified factories manufacture a broad range of other products including maternity, juvenile and baby products, apparel, electronics, printing, stationery and many more. Retailers and brands can use the factory search functionality in our Connect Platform to search our global directory of ethically-certified factories by different product types.

China’s role as the world’s leading manufacturer and exporter of toys continues. China also has a surging domestic toy market which over the past few years has grown annually at an average of 21.8% and is projected to exceed RMB 300 billion by 2019.

Ethical Toy Program will be there to meet with designers to promote the work we do to ensure toys are manufactured in a way that is consistent with the values of the industry.

The SDGs call on businesses to work in partnership with governments and civil society to be part of the solution to a broad range of sustainability issues - from labor standards to inequality, social justice to climate change, gender equality to environmental issues.

We asked Carmel where Chinese factories are currently with regard to production backlogs. She explained, “In general, factories have addressed all backlogs and production is up to date. We’re seeing a divide when it comes to the current status of factories, though. Around 30% are very busy with orders, these being the ones manufacturing particularly sought-after products.

Children are a third of the global population and key stakeholders of the toy industry; not just as dependents of parents working in the supply chain but also as consumers.

Click here for the latest update to IETP audit arrangements in Mainland China.

1. An enhanced, graded version of the ICTI Ethical Toy Program Audit Checklist

Ethical Toy Program is the ethical supply chain program for the global toy industry. The Ethical Toy Program combines far-reaching and specialized audits, a robust ethical certification scheme, capability building and worker well-being programs to improve standards in the global toy supply chain.

IETP will continue to monitor the situation and arrange an on-site IAA as soon as regulatory circumstances allowed.

We outline the relevant child rights issues which companies should be aware of within their supply chains, and also share best practices and case studies showing practical actions which factories are taking to both promote family-friendly workspaces and advance child rights as well as presenting the latest research on the impacts of COVID-19 for children.

The webinar will give you an introduction to the business environment and opportunities for toy companies in India.

The meeting will last for 1 hour and include time for questions to any of the presenters.

These factories transformed spaces on-site into fantastic childcare facilities to accommodate the children of their workers. During the work day the children are looked after by specialist teachers and supervisors who provide opportunities for the children to learn and play.