About Responsible Business Alliance (RBA)

Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) is a coalition of the world’s leading companies working together to improve efficiency and social, ethical, and environmental responsibility in the global supply chain. Formerly known as the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC), RBA now hosts more than 400 members which account for over 7.7 trillion usd of annual revenue in total.  

Across its initiatives, RBA support its members in electronics, retail, auto and toy industries to becoming more socially and ethically responsible along their complex supply chains. 

The Validated Assessment Process (VAP)

The Validated Assessment Process (VAP) is designed by RBA to investigate risks identification and improvement around corporate social responsibility in supply chains.  

VAP is a robust management system that assesses five key areas of the suppliers and factories, which are Labor, Ethics, Health, Safety and Environmental Conditions. The audit criteria of VAP is developed from RBA Code of Conduct Version 7.0, that clearly outlines the standards around the five areas above and serves as the backbone of RBA’s works. 

Eurofins is one of the approved audit firms by RBA to carry out VAP audit worldwide against VAP Audit Protocol V7.0: 

• Labor – recognition of employees’ human rights, dignity and respect around wages, benefits, working hours, non-discrimination, etc. 
• Health and safety – commitment to provide a healthy and safe working environment around emergency preparedness, occupational injury, industrial hygiene, food, sanitation and housing, etc. 
• Environmental – minimisation of adverse impacts in any form to environment during manufacturing process around pollution prevention, hazardous substances, solid waste, air emissions, water management, etc. 
• Ethics – respect of diligence around business integrity, intellectual property, responsible sourcing of minerals, privacy, etc. 
• Management system – establishment and implementation of management system that ensures compliance to relevant mandatory or regulatory requirements, identifies risks and facilitates continuous improvement. 

RBA VAP audit process and recognition

Applicants will undergo four stages for RBA VAP audit that will require proper engagement of representatives from the applying companies in providing high level of transparency in data. 

Stage 4: Corrective Action Plan (CAP) 

Similar to other audit programmes, Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) will be issued to highlight the under-performing areas and provide recommendations. Applying companies will be required to complete CAPs as agreed before final reports are submitted to for final review. 

In order to recognise companies that demonstrate commitment, RBA currently awards three levels of recognition to companies who complete the VAP audit successfully: 

• Platinum: for companies with 200 or higher VAP scores, plus all Priority, Major and Minor findings in CAPs closed 
• Gold: for companies with 180 or higher VAP scores, plus all Priority and Major findings in CAPs closed 
• Silver: for companies with 160 or higher VAP scores, plus all Priority findings in CAPs closed