Brother Industries, Ltd. announced that its Hoshizaki Factory (located in Minami-ku, Nagoya) received the Platinum certification, the highest rating in the Validated Assessment Programme (VAP) audit, which evaluates compliance with the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) Code of Conduct.
This marks the fourth facility in the Brother Group to receive RBA certification and the first in Japan. It is also the third facility to receive the Platinum certification.
The RBA is a non-profit organisation that supports the rights and well-being of workers and communities affected by global supply chains. Its Code of Conduct sets out standards to ensure that working conditions are safe, that workers are treated with respect and dignity, and that business operations are environmentally responsible and conducted ethically. The organisation requests its members to pursue compliance with the respective standards through their management systems. Following this Code of Conduct, a VAP audit is conducted by a third-party organisation approved by RBA, and Silver (160 points or more), Gold (180 points or more), or Platinum (full 200 points) certification is issued depending on the evaluation score.
Hoshizaki Factory has recently undergone a VAP audit and received the Platinum certification with the highest score of 200 points for proper management in the audit areas of labour, health and safety, environment, ethics, and supply chain management system.
The company set the goal of attaining RBA Gold certification for three Group manufacturing facilities by FY2024. The Brother Group has achieved this goal by obtaining Gold certification at BROTHER INDUSTRIES (VIETNAM) LTD., in 2022 and Platinum certification at BROTHER TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) LTD., and BROTHER INDUSTRIES (PHILIPPINES), INC., in 2023.
