Compliance is a journey, not a destination. And once a company achieves accreditation from Quality Certification Alliance (QCA), the promotional product industry’s only independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping companies provide safe products, the journey continues.
Every two years, a QCA Accredited Company must complete reaccreditation requirements, which include independent, third-party audits of the company’s headquarters as well as three factories in its supply chain. Five companies have completed the QCA reaccreditation process, allowing them to maintain their QCA Certified status. They are:
- Bensussen Deutsch & Associates Inc. (BDA),Woodinville, Wash.
- Broder Bros., Trevose, Pa.
- Gemline, Lawrence, Mass.
- Leed’s, New Kensington, Pa.
- Logomark, Tustin, Calif.
The recertification process takes up to six months to finish. On the years when companies aren’t up for reaccreditation, ongoing quarterly maintenance audits are required.
The purpose of reaccreditation is for QCA Accredited companies to show continuous improvement and ongoing vigilance to ensure compliance is a daily best practice. This is especially important to end-buyers, who expect compliance to be a proactive part of the normal course of business rather than reactive and only when they ask for it. Having an ongoing system of checks and balances reinforces that compliance is a journey not a destination and demonstrates our industry is getting better every year.
“The reaccreditation requirement is a critical piece of the QCA Certification Program,” said Brent Stone, QCA executive director – operations. “It signifies the ongoing commitment from QCA Accredited Suppliers to stay current with the constantly changing and evolving state and federal compliance regulations. The vast majority of the orders in the promotional products industry are small quantities with very short lead times. If product safety and compliance are not a part of a supplier’s proactive, daily business philosophy, the company will not have the time nor will it be willing to spend the money to reactively manage compliance in these small orders. You either have compliance up front, or you don’t have it at all.”
For more information about QCA Accreditation and to inquire about the process and benefits received, contact [email protected]. or visit www.qcalliance.org.
