IGEP-Foundation is an ISES 2000 certified body and is authorized to offer social and environmental consultancy and auditing services. IGEP has been actively working with the Foreign Trade Association of German Retailers (AVE), German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) and Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) of the EU, among others, to help the Indian companies to achieve social and environmental regulations. These companies mainly supply to big buyers like Karstadt-Quelle, Metro Group, C&A, Otto and Deichmann among others. So there is a growing demand for such certificates among Indian SME's.
Round Tables
The National Round Tables aim not only to raise awareness of issues concerning improved working conditions, but also to enhance the long-term, broad based acceptance of social standards by involving key stakeholders from the selected countries in the dialogue.
Social Audit:
A systematic, independent and documented process of obtaining audit evidence and evaluating it to determine the extent to which the agreed criteria were fulfilled. Audit might involve quality, environmental or CSR issues, of which CSR audit is, required for meeting audit regulations towards CSR requirements.
The observances of standards in India is not limited to the big corporate houses - numerous SMEs do likewise. Typical sectors with a comparatively high presence of SMEs are textiles & garments, leather manufacturing industries and jewellery. There are also promising signs in the fields of handicrafts, carpets and furniture. First steps have also been taken in the natural stones sector. However the modern emerging sectors stand more or less excluded. Therefore activities directed towards electric & electronic industries, software and computers, bicycles, auto components, etc. and preliminary talks with concerned associations and companies have already been initiated.
Basic reasons to conduct a social audit
for a new supplier
regular review of the suppliers
to verify that one's social performance continues to comply with requirements
to evaluate one's organization against the requirements of a Code of Practice or SA 8000 standard.
