13-01-2014 FIRST CSR CERTIFICATES AWARDED BY EPPA
Last Thursday EPPA proudly awarded the first EPPA Code of Conduct Certifications to front-running European promotional products companies. During the past months these companies participated in the pilot of the EPPA Code Program. The program is dedicated to manage social responsibility for the promotional product industry. Its objective is to create responsible supply chains, securing fair and lawful employment practices, workplace and consumer safety.During the pilot the participating companies had to reveal their business ins and outs to proof their commitment in managing a sustainable organization through independent audits. At the same time the pilot provided EPPA the opportunity to test its assumptions on certification criteria and finalize the requirements for a social responsible business within a complex supply chain. EPPA is proud to announce that the majority of the pilot participants have passed the requirements of the program and today EPPA awarded them with the Silver or Gold Certification Level. The companies that successfully meet the requirements of the program are:
| Company name | Country | Certification Level |
| Brand Addition | UK/ Germany | Gold |
| Brandwijk Kerstpakketten/ Promo.nl | The Netherlands | Silver |
| Van Bavel Gifts & Premiums | Belgium | Gold |
| Consuma-IssueTissue bv | The Netherlands | Silver |
| Interimage bv | The Netherlands | Gold |
| Intraco Trading bv | The Netherlands | Gold |
| Giving Europe bv | The Netherlands | Gold |
| Langhoff Promotion A/S | Denmark | Gold |
| Metz A/S | Denmark | Gold |
| PF Concept | The Netherlands | Gold |
| Xindao | The Netherlands | Gold |
The final standard builds on the principles that were used for the pilot and aligns with the latest development in the field of social responsibility. These are summarized in the United Nations Guiding Principles. Many companies, institutes and governments have adopted or are adopting this framework to incorporate it in their policies or Codes. Not only will it provide the best guide for the promotional products industry’s responsible supply chain management, it will support companies to meet the needs of their clients in this field, now and in the future.
Photography: Cynthia Brandwijk