Chicago-based Quality Certification Alliance (QCA) announced Leed’s, New Kensington, Pa., and Sweda Company LLC, Monrovia, Calif., are the third and fourth companies to successfully complete a third-party audit of each company’s compliance programs and practices as outlined by the QCA. These companies join Woodinville, Washington-based Bensussen Deutsch & Associates Inc. (BDA) and Tustin, California-based Logomark in being the only companies to complete this step of the certification process.
“With its exclusive focus on the promotional products industry, QCA has created the only comprehensive framework for compliance-related activities,” said David Nicholson, president of Leed’s and QCA founding member. “While Leed’s has increased its own compliance efforts within the last several years, QCA now provides clear and established standards for our industry—something that was greatly needed.” Nicholson continued, “Ultimately, going through this process will make our own program more effective and will ensure the industry takes a proactive stance toward what is an increasingly important issue.”
A QCA member begins the accreditation process by first endorsing a self-certification, then it proceeds to a self-assessment step, followed by a third-party audit.
“The audit process highlights the importance of well-documented procedures across every activity within our business,” said Nicholson. “As a result, we are now able to benchmark our internal compliance program and better gauge our progress.”
Finally, a scorecard is created based on the results of the third-party audit, and the QCA board uses the scorecard as the foundation for granting accreditation. “Companies that make the commitment to be involved in the QCA certification process reaffirm their companies’ dedication to quality while providing a model to help lift industry standards,” said Jim Hagan, president of City of Industry, California-based Sweda Company LLC.
“Organizationally, we are quite pleased with the progress the founding members have made in such a short period of time,” said D E Fenton, QCA executive director. “It is also encouraging that end-users consulted during the QCA Standards defining process are supportive of the effort and are pleased this topic is being addressed by a group of leaders within the promotional products industry.”
About QCA:
Quality Certification Alliance is an independent, accreditation organization whose mission is to elevate the standards by which industry firms that import and/or manufacture promotional products provide consistently safe, high-quality, socially compliant and environmentally conscientious merchandise.
For more information, visit www.qcalliance.org.
