Brent Stone, QCA executive director–operations, noted since the Quality Certification Alliance (QCA), Chicago, opened for membership in July, he has had conversations with promotional product industry suppliers that recognize the competitive advantage that comes with successful completion of independent, third-party audits but are unsure how to begin the process. “The QCA accreditation program provides the guidance these companies need to build comprehensive and effective internal compliance programs,” commented Stone. “As a result, seven [more] suppliers have joined the ranks of QCA membership,” Stone continued.
The seven new QCA applicant members are:
· Miami-based Bullet Line LLC
· Oxnard, California-based ETS Express
· New York-based Garyline
· Largo, Florida-based Hit Promotion Products Inc.
· Mount Vernon, New York-based Jetline
· Attleboro, Massachusetts-based North Attleboro Jewelry Co. Inc.
· Salt Lake City-based SnugZ USA
These suppliers believe self-compliant statements no longer address client needs and are proactively taking control to make sure safe products enter the marketplace. As new QCA applicant members, they receive a number of tools to help them in developing a compliance program with the hope of successfully completing the QCA accreditation process in the allotted time frame.
“During the past year, we have spent a great deal of time and effort developing and executing a voluntary internal compliance and corporate social responsibility program,” said Bill Schmidt, Jr., vice president of Hit Promotional Products. “However, we recognize the need for taking our program to the next level. Joining QCA brings us the knowledge and guidance coupled with the rapidly growing industry-wide appreciation for compliance and the highest level of standards for product safety,” concluded Schmidt.
Brandon Mackay, MAS, president & CEO of SnugZ USA commented, “Ensuring our practices provide our distributor customers and their end-user clients with safe products is our number one goal.” Mackay continued, “We believe QCA has the best certification process, which gives us the tools to put our goal into action.”
For more information on the QCA, visit www.qcalliance.org.
About QCA:
Chicago-based 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. The QCA Seal of Approval is granted to member companies who complete an independent, third-party audit and comply with industry standards that are based on a combination of state and national laws, international standards and industry-accepted best practices.
For more information, visit www.qcalliance.org.
