Brands benefit from working with packaging suppliers that maintain strict compliance standards and have the resources to pre-vet each new packaging partner. Trillora has in-depth regional knowledge of local labour laws and the compliance requirements our customers are accountable to, providing peace of mind that their packaging networks are subjected to strong compliance oversight.
Taking steps to ensure your production partners are compliant is especially important for brands producing products in Southeast Asia (SEA) and shipping them to parts of the world with strict regulations, such as the European Union. SEA factories might use packaging subcontractors that don't adhere to local laws, lack a social compliance management system, or have unsafe working conditions.
Working with unethical subcontractors could allow unethical business practices to proliferate and negatively impact the socially responsible, moral, and sustainable business practices that brands strive to promote.
For brands based in other regions, keeping track of what's happening in their parent factories on a day-to-day basis can be challenging. Having a packaging partner with connections and a constant presence in SEA, like Trillora, helps companies ensure their suppliers meet the high expectations brands are held accountable for.
To promote packaging compliance, Trillora utilizes a Supplier Code of Conduct that provides a framework for suppliers and sub-suppliers to comply with CSR guidelines. The structure of the Supplier Code of Conduct helps suppliers deploy CSR business practices into their extended supply chains in the following areas:
Trillora's Code of Conduct is the first step in our Holistic Packaging Compliance Program, which includes in-person compliance audits and regular check-ins to ensure that our partners adhere to the Code of Conduct.
The packaging compliance program we utilize with all of our suppliers ensures that they provide a safe and sustainable work environment for employees. We utilize a standardized process to ensure that each packaging partner in Trillora’s packaging network is compliant with the established standards highlighted above in the Supplier Code of Conduct. Our compliance program helps our clients be confident that their packaging is compliant and supports their brand's values.
Trillora has a strong track record of driving compliance initiatives throughout our SEA packaging network. Our packaging partners know that adherence to the compliance program is mandatory and that we take our clients' compliance responsibilities seriously.
Audits are an integral part of our compliance process. By visiting suppliers on-site, we can validate whether they comply with each of the checkpoints included in our audit. These audits consist of opening meetings, workplace walkthroughs, document reviews, employee and management interviews, and closing meetings.
Worker interviews are an important part of the audit process, as they validate that workers are actually provided with a safe working environment, fair wages, and socially compliant treatment by co-workers and supervisors. By capturing the direct experiences of workers, Trillora can confirm that the information provided by management accurately reflects the day-to-day experiences of production workers.
If an audit reveals non-compliance, a customized corrective action plan and corresponding preventative action plan will be developed to mitigate the root causes of non-compliance. Our Corrective Action and Preventive Action (CAPA) program provides a standardized template for developing corrective action plans.
There are four grades a company may receive after their audit. Companies need to pass their audit with a "Satisfactory" grade to become a packaging supplier. If non-compliance findings are identified, we work with production partners to help them implement systemic improvements. The four grades companies can receive are:
Satisfactory: This is the optimal result, indicating that a production partner is completely compliant.
Accepted: A few non-compliant findings were identified, and a CAPA process was initiated to help the production partner achieve compliance.
Accepted with Condition: There are a significant number of non-compliant findings. A CAPA program is implemented to bring the production partner into compliance.
Zero Tolerance: A zero-tolerance grade is the most serious non-compliance grade given to production partners. A single incident of egregious noncompliance can trigger a zero-tolerance rating.
"Egregious" non-compliance findings may include:
If a zero-tolerance grade is given, new business initiatives are halted, and a customized CAPA program is developed to provide the production partner with an opportunity for the production partner to change business practices and achieve compliance with our Supplier Code of Conduct.
In some instances, a brand may have a different grading system than the one we use. In those instances, we collaborate with the brand as needed to meet collective audit requirements.
Trillora’s packaging supplier compliance program establishes clear expectations for socially responsible, ethical, and sustainable business practices for among its packaging network members. Trillora has a structured process to audit production partners, ensuring they are compliant with both Trillora’s and the brand’s requirements.
Using the audit process to ensure packaging partners are compliant fosters socially responsible, ethical, and sustainable business practices, generating goodwill among brand team members and the broader public. Most importantly, compliance provides safer work environments for packaging production workers and contributes to a better future for our planet.