Objective

In response to the high demand from various companies to extend the scope of the GSCP social reference tools to environmental concerns on employment sites, the GSCP Executive Board launched in October 2008 an Expert Working Group. The group is working on the integration of basic site-specific environmental requirements within the GSCP framework. This environmental component is being developed as a module to the GSCP work on social conditions and mirrors the structure of the reference tools on social practice.

1. reference requirements and implementation guidelines for suppliers (published)
2. reference tools on Audit Process and Methodology (published)
3. reference requirements for Auditing Competence (published - go to Auditing Competence page)

The Expert Working Group, who commenced work in October 2008, is composed of nine experts drawn from the GSCP Task Force:

• Dietrich Bartels, Environmental Manager, C&A
• Jay Celorie, Global Manager for Social and Environmental Responsibility, HP
• Jonathan Gorman, Regulatory Policy Manager (Environment), TESCO
• Stéphanie Mathey, Responsable des Affaires Sociales et Environmentales, CARREFOUR
• Greg Priest, Head of Compliance, Social and Environmental Affairs, IKEA
• Francesca Savi, Ethical Standards Specialist, WAL-MART
• Mike Vaudreuil, Supply Chain SER, HP
• Clément Warther, Director Sustainability and Risk Control, AMCOR (formerly ALCAN PACKAGING)

1. Environmental Reference Requirements and Environmental Implementation Guidelines

This first set of tools was published in October 2010

Drafting

a. Environmental reference requirements

Consultation

The draft reference requirements and implementation guidelines for suppliers were opened for consultation to gather feedback from a global audience of companies and key stakeholders in order to ensure that they reference best practices and represent a broad consensus. The consultation ran from April to June 2009. The Expert Working Group reviewed all comments received through the public consultation, and integrated amendments accordingly.

Review

Advisory Board's input
The final drafts of the Reference Environmental Requirements and of the Implementation Guidelines were submitted to the Advisory Board for review. They formulated recommendations on how to improve the reference tool and ensure it reflects best practice and shared these recommendations with the Executive Board.
Executive Board’s input
Following the Executive Board internal review of all Advisory Board recommendations suggested for improvement, and a feedback session with the Advisory Board, a unanimous agreement was reached on the GSCP Reference Environmental Requirements and on the Implementation Guidelines in September 2010.

Publication

The GSCP Environmental Reference Requirements and the GSCP Environmental Implementation Guidelines were published in October 2010.

Review process

Timeline summary

• Development Phase: November 2008 to March 2009
• Consultation Phase: April to June 2009
• Review Phase: July 2009 to September 2010
• Publication: October 2010

First review of the Environmental Reference Requirements

Consultation phase: 30th March – 15th June 2012
Review Phase: 16th June 2012 – 31st January 2013
Expected publication: first semester 2013

2. Reference tools on Environmental Audit Process and Methodology

This second set of tools was published in November 2010

download the GSCP Reference tools on Environmental Audit Process and Methodology here

Drafting

The Expert Working Group worked with the close support of Environmental Resources Management (ERM) on drafting a set of reference tools on Audit Process and Methodology within the GSCP Environmental Module. The reference tools on Environmental Audit Process and Methodology detail the approach that should be taken by buying companies and auditors in order to conduct environmental audits of an Employment Site’s performance against the GSCP Environmental Reference Requirements (as well as local and international environmental legislation and requirements where they exist).

The reference tools cover all the steps to be taken prior, during and after an audit and include, where relevant, templates to complement the audit process. These templates and guidelines namely are:

(1) Reference Environmental Self Assessment Questionnaire
(2) Reference Environmental Pre‐Audit Employment Site Profile
(3) Reference Environmental Audit Checks
(4) Reference Environmental Alert Notification
(5) Reference Environmental Audit Report
(6) Reference Environmental Summary of Findings and Corrective Actions
(7) Reference Environmental Supplementary Audit Information

The GSCP reference tools on Environmental Audit Process & Methodology apply to the auditing of sites from all sectors, categories and countries. They are applicable to first party, second party and third party audits.
The reference tools on Environmental Audit Process and Methodology are based on the GSCP Environmental Reference Requirements but can be tailored for other codes of environmental practice.

The first draft set of reference tools was finalised in April 2010 and subsequently opened to public consultation, as per GSCP methodology.

Consultation

The web-based consultation ran from April 6th to June 4th 2010. Integration of comments was completed mid-Summer 2010 by the Expert Working Group, who then shared a reviewed draft with the GSCP Advisory Board to gather their recommendations.

Review

Advisory Board's input
The GSCP Advisory Board formulated recommendations on how to improve the reference tools and ensure they reflect best practice. These recommendations were shared with the Executive Board in September 2010.
Executive Board’s input
The Executive Board thoroughly reviewed all the recommendations for improvement received from the Advisory Board and reached a unanimous agreement on the GSCP reference tools on Environmental Audit Process and Methodology in October 2010.

Timeline summary

Reference tools on Environmental Audit Process and Methodology Version 1

First review of the Reference tools on Environmental Audit Process and Methodology

3. Reference Requirements for Auditing Competence

The work on this reference tool is included in the scope of the Expert Working Group on Auditing Competence. The GSCP reference tool for Auditing Competence was published in September 2010 and is available on this website.

For any questions regarding the work on the Environmental Reference tools, please contact Didier Bergeret, GSCP Senior Manager on  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it