Business questions
Will Better Work inform factories which brands accept SLCP data and vice versa inform brands which factories are in SLCP?
No. SLCP and brands should update factories directly on whether they accept SLCP. A list of brands accepting SLCP can be found at https://slconvergence.org/signatories/. Likewise factories that are part of SLCP should let brands know this directly. ...
Do Better Work factories need to pay for SLCP verification/data from Better Work?
Factories continue to pay for their regular factory service from Better Work, but they do not pay any additional fees to Better Work for the SLCP data.
What if a factory has registered with SLCP and paid their fee but is later asked to join Better Work by a customer?
If a factory already in SLCP wishes to join Better Work, it should register with Better Work and confirm through the SLCP Gateway that it would like to share Better Work assessment data through SLCP. The factory will be charged as usual for the ...
How and when will SLCP be introduced into Better Work countries?
Once national and ILO constituents have confirmed that Better Work can proceed with roll out in a country, Better Work needs at minimum four months to complete the following steps prior to implementation: Obtain support from constituents for data ...
How will Better Work and SLCP engage national constituents?
In all Better Work countries, Better Work will consult with national constituents and will facilitate SLCP consultations to inform them about the SLCP and gather their inputs for any suggested changes. It is of critical importance that national ...
Will other SLCP verifiers operate in Better Work factories and countries?
No. SLCP verifiers will not operate in Better Work factories. The Better Work assessment will replace any other verification at the facility. However, SLCP is accrediting other organizations as verifying bodies in Better Work voluntary countries in ...
Will factories that want to participate in Better Work and SLCP need to double register?
Yes. Better Work and SLCP currently do not have a coordinated process in place for factories to register simultaneously. Better Work recommends that factories with such interest register in the SLCP Gateway in the first month of the Better Work ...
What can SLCP buyers do with factories in Better Work countries that Better Work cannot enroll (due to scope or capacity constraints)?
Where Better Work is not able to enroll a factory (either because it is beyond the scope of the Better Work programme or we do not currently have the capacity to enroll it), brands can define alternative plans (as they do in other cases where Better ...
What will happen with existing Better Work factories that register with SLCP?
Better Work is asking partner brands to continue with the Better Work process in all factories currently registered in the Better Work programme. As soon as the tool is ready in each country, Better Work will progressively introduce it into its ...
Can a factory use the data from the Better Work assessment in place of other assessments or for other clients (e.g. FSLM)?
Facilities can use the SLCP gateway to reshare the SLCP verified data to other Accredited Hosts. For FSLM/Higg Co. specifically the facility can share their verified SLCP data to their Higg account via the SLCP Gateway. For more information contact ...
Once the information is shared to the SCLP Accredited Host, how will the factories control who can see their data?
Factories participating in data sharing through the SLCP Gateway can define in the SLCP system which parties will have access to their data. Please refer to SLCP for further information.
When will the Step 2 and 3 self-assessment functionality be built into the Better Work system?
Better Work is currently enhancing its data platform and aims for Step 2 and 3 functionalities to be operational according to the same timeframes for roll out of the shared tool in Better Work countries (subject to constituent approval).
Can SLCP brands access SLCP Step 1, Step 2 and Step 3 data through the Better Work Portal?
Compliance data falling under Step 1 will be visible on the BW Portal. Better Work is exploring whether it is possible to automatically incorporate SLCP self-assessment data for Steps 2 and 3 into the Online Improvement Plan but will not be assessing ...
How will the assessment data be stored and shared with SLCP?
Better Work will continue to post assessment reports on the Better Work portal. Better Work can also send data from its assessment to the SLCP Gateway and allow factory self-assessed data to be entered on the Better Work platform and transmitted to ...
Can brands identify Better Work factories that are participating in SLCP on the Better Work portal?
No. This will not be indicated on the BW portal. Brands will need to cross check this with SLCP.
Will there be an indication in Better Work reports as to whether findings are Better Work or SLCP?
No. All findings will be combined in Better Work reports.
Can Better Work accept SLCP verified data from other Verifying Bodies?
Better Work is currently not in a position to accept data from audits/verification by verifying bodies or second/third party auditors in our platform at this time. In addition, existing SLCP self-assessments cannot be loaded onto the Better Work ...
Are the Better Work and SLCP service timelines aligned?
Better Work will continue to follow its existing service timelines for factories already enrolled in the programme. To be able to support factories in the self-assessment through advisory services it is necessary that factories register in the SLCP ...
What if a factory requests to share assessment data in the middle of the cycle (due to customer request)?
A factory can share assessment data through the SLCP Gateway with a customer after the BW assessment has been carried out if the following conditions are met: The factory has registered with SLCP and confirmed in the SLCP Gateway that BW assessment ...
If a factory is already registered with Better Work and would now like to share verified data through the SLCP system – how do they do this?
The factory must register at the SLCP Gateway. Upon registration, select Better Work as the “Verifier Body”. If this is done prior to the BW assessment, and if the factory has submitted its self-assessment to SLCP, data from the assessment will be ...
What if Better Work finds issues during the assessment that were not reported by the factory during the SLCP self-assessment process?
In line with Better Work’s existing process, any issues identified in the assessment will be included in Better Work reports and integrated into Improvement Plans. Issues subject to public reporting will be posted on the Better Work Transparency ...
How does the SLCP self-assessment link to Better Work’s existing self-diagnosis process?
In order to promote factory ownership and social dialogue, Better Work guides factories to self-diagnose their issues/challenges prior to the assessment. Inputs from the self-diagnostic process are combined in the Improvement Plan with findings from ...
How can data from Better Work assessments be used alongside SLCP self-assessments?
Better Work assessment data will be available on the Better Work portal. Better Work will not verify SLCP self-assessment data but will use this as an additional information source when conducting assessments. Better Work will also allow factory ...
How will Better Work support SLCP self-assessments and ensure worker voice?
Factories registered in Better Work will be able to conduct self-assessments of Steps 1, 2 and 3 if their buyers request it. Better Work will encourage bipartite committees to complete SLCP self-assessments. Better Work will support the committees to ...
What will happen with SLCP if Better Work can’t do in-person assessments due to Covid-19?
Better Work has adopted a global Covid-19 Factory Service model that is applicable until 31 December 2021, and possibly longer, contingent on the evolution of the pandemic. Where national regulations and factory conditions allow, Better Work will ...
Is there a plan to train Better Work factories on the SLCP approach?
Following the process of national consultations, BW will host a series of online webinars to walk BW enrolled factories through the process to explain the steps that would need to be taken if factories choose to share assessment data via SLCP. Aside ...
Will Better Work inform factories which brands accept SLCP data and vice versa inform brands which factories are in SLCP?
SLCP and brands should update factories directly on whether they accept SLCP. A list of brands accepting SLCP can be found at https://slconvergence.org/signatories/. Likewise factories that are part of SLCP should let brands know this directly.
How will Better Work communicate ongoing progress with the SLCP?
At the global and country levels, Better Work will continue to host regular webinars to keep brands and factories abreast of developments and will post regular information on our website.
Will the Better Work pricing model for factories change in 2021?
Better Work services for factories and associated pricing will remain the same in 2021. Better Work has made a significant investment in this collaboration to ensure that our services and IT system support data harmonization and sharing, but is not ...
Is it mandatory for Better Work factories to participate in SLCP?
No. Factories can choose whether or not they wish to participate in SLCP.
How can factories that are not yet in Better Work enroll in Better Work?
Factories wishing to enroll in Better Work for the purposes of data sharing via SLCP will be able to do so according to the agreed rollout schedule in each Better Work country. In such cases they should contact the relevant Better Work country ...
What data will national constituents have access to and how?
National constituents will continue to have access to Better Work consolidated data in the same way as now. How to make data collected through the SLCP framework accessible to national governments and social partners is still to be determined and is ...
Will Better Work’s Public Reporting be affected?
No. Better Work will continue to apply the same criteria for public reporting and publically report in the same way as now.
How will Better Work assessment data be used?
All data generated (including SLCP data), will continue to be used by Better Work to measure compliance, support research, encourage transparency on working conditions and provide an evidence base to inform national and global policy discussions and ...
How will Better Work data be protected?
Better Work data is protected under Microsoft Azure cloud services managed by the United Nations International Computing Centre. Data that is shared with the SLCP Gateway is encrypted and can only be accessed by authenticated users. The SLCP CAF v1.4 ...
What will Better Work reports look like, how will they change?
Better Work will continue to post assessment reports on the Better Work portal. Better Work assessment reports will continue to report on non-compliance findings in a similar format to now but these findings may be presented differently given the ...
If a factory is not involved in SLCP, do they need to fill in the SLCP self-assessment?
No. A factory not involved in SLCP does not need to fill in the SLCP self-assessment but would conduct the Better Work self-diagnostic process and follow the normal Better Work process as usual, including receipt of a traditional CAT report.
What will this mean for Better Work’s approach to identify High Performance Factories?
Better Work will continue to use the same criteria and process (including collecting information on management systems, social dialogue and learning that goes beyond that in the CAF/Tool 1.4) to identify and monitor progress of High Performance ...
Will other Better Work factory operations and/or timelines change?
No. To promote sustainable improvements, social dialogue and transparency, Better Work will maintain its existing factory service model including training, advisory, public reporting and differentiation, and follow existing timelines for delivery of ...
Will Better Work continue to gather information on social dialogue and management systems in the assessment?
Yes. Better Work will continue to gather information in relation to social dialogue and management systems in our assessments and include the data in its reports even though it is not currently in CAF/Tool 1.4. This will be reconciled in version 1.5 ...
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