China is the world’s largest producer and exporter of clothing. Apparently, it is also the country with the largest number of garment factories. All garment products are completely in different levels of the quality due to the complexity of the process in the garment industry, the variability of the upstream and downstream supply chains, as well as the different management levels of factories leaders themselves. As the professional hi vis workwear designer and manufacturer, BOWINS Garment is always work harder and try its best to improve production management level, so we can keep up with the industry leaders and keep our products competitive for its quality, price and delivery time.

The majority of high quality customers will come to this problem, how to quickly choose a higher level of suppliers to achieve a long-term stable cooperative relationship? The qualification to have one or more internationally accepted factory inspection tests becomes a significant symbol for all factories. Then in this article, I will share some of the BSCI standards showing out at Bowins hi vis workwear factory – Taian Legend Co., Ltd.

BSCI, the “Corporate Social Compliance Initiative”, is aiming to manage a set of unified procedures to monitor and promote the social responsibility performance of companies that produce related products through continuous improvement of development policies.

The members of the Business Compliance Organization (BSCI) include retailers, brand companies and traders. Most of the textiles business members are from 10 countries in Europe and Canada, and 18 members are from the Netherlands, such as HEMA, Bijenkorf, V&D, Claudia Sträter, M&S, Hunkemöller, WE, Wehkamp, etc. In other words, BSCI originated in the textile industry, extended to various categories of clothing industry, and further responded to household and food.

The purpose of BSCI certification is to sustainablely improve the global supply chain. The implementation of BSCI certification not only saves costs and time for manufacturers to avoid repeated audits, but also brings economic benefits to retail companies and suppliers. At present, only independent audit companies that have passed the SAI qualification level appraisal and selected by BSCI will be entrusted to implement BSCI social responsibility audits, which not only guarantees the best audit quality, but also avoids expensive and corrupt audits. There are more than 180 BSCI members and most of the wholesalers and purchasers in Europe are BSCI members. BSCI members will allow their contracted suppliers from various countries to accept BSCI factory inspections to improve the human rights status of the factories.

Workwear, the product itself is a kind of functional clothing to protect personal safety in various working environments. The origin of work gear brands also considers the humanitarian factors. As a result, high visibility workwear, guard security safety wear, outdoor traffic reflective jacket, functional hi vis workwear products such as indoor multi-functional tooling workwear. In this case, hi vis workwear factory should become even more representative factory with BSCI.

Bowins has wholly-owned factory- Tai’an Legend Factory, the latest BSCI certification number 351476, and the review agency is China SGS.

The following text introduces a series of management steps carried out by Legend under the BSCI standard.

The factory established policy and procedure on social accountability since Jun 2017. Mr Wang(Factory Director) was amfori BSCI representative and took whole charge of amfori BSCI affairs in the factory. The factory also established policy with respect to selection,

management and monitoring of its own significant business partners, and the working hours controlling system was established. However, gaps had been identified in implementation.

The factory established policy and procedure on social accountability. Mr Ma(Office Manager) was amfori BSCI representative and took

whole charge of amfori BSCI affairs in the factory. The factory also established policy with respect to selection, management and monitoring of its own significant business partners.

A trade union was founded in the factory, also worker representatives were elected by workers themselves. Workers had monthly meeting for getting the information of workplace-related issues, the factory also provided regular trainings on workers’ right to them.

The factory established policy on anti-discrimination. The policy defined that the factory would not discriminate workers by gender and ages etc.

And according to interview with workers, workers could use the grievance system through suggestion boxes or telling to worker representatives once workers’ right was infringed.

The factory has formulated working hours policy that all workers worked 5 days per week, 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, the working

hours was from 7:30 to 11:30, 13:30 to 17:30. All workers could have one day off after 6 consecutive working days.

The committee of health and safety including worker representative was set up by the factory Mr Wang, the Factory Director was in charge of the affairs of health and safety. According to on-site observation, the highest risks of health and safety in the factory were fire

safety and electrical safety. The first aid box was also available in every workshop. Clean potable water was also provided and all workers could access the potable water freely.

The policy of young worker protection was made by the factory. The factory understood the legal requirement of young workers according to

interview with management.

Labor contracts were signed between the factory and all workers, the factory provided a copy of contract to every worker.

The factory established the policy on anti-forced labor. The management staffs understood well of the scope of forced labor.

The latest SGS inspection was completed on August 21, 2020. Legend Factory was approved by BSCI and obtained the A-level of 9 projects. Although there are some shortcomings, I believe there will be a progressive improvement under the guidance of Bowens Garment Co.,ltd and Legend Factory.

Just believe BSCI, believe BOWINS hi vis workwear, we will always be on the way.