RBA members are required to adhere to a core set of requirements and are held accountable to them.
The RBA Code of Conduct is at the core of member requirements. Members are required to commit to the Code of Conduct, spread that commitment to their supply chains, and must undertake a range of assessment activities to ensure they are accountable to their commitment to the Code.
While the RBA plays an important role in reporting on and educating a range of stakeholders about the state of sustainability in the industry supply chain, the RBA does not publicly comment on individual members’ activities.
Commitment to Standards and Accountability
Most RBA members are required to commit publicly to the RBA Code of Conduct and actively pursue conformance to the Code and its standards, based on their membership category requirements. RBA members must regard the Code as a total supply chain initiative, meaning that members must at a minimum require their next tier suppliers to acknowledge and implement the Code.
RBA members are held accountable to their Code of Conduct commitment via a range of accountability and assessment means including: self-assessment questionnaires; audits conducted by independent, third-party firms approved by the RBA; and corrective actions where necessary.
For a complete explanation of RBA member requirements, please view our member compliance document. For a brief summary of the new member requirements, please view our Join Us page.
The RBA Code of Conduct itself also outlines necessary management systems to ensure members establish the systems and structures necessary to ensure they do not infringe on workers’ rights nor the wellbeing of their communities. These systems and structures are vital to prevent accidents and abuses that damage both businesses and communities. The RBA provides a range of tools and resources to help members establish and maintain these systems and structures.
One of the core principles of the RBA is adherence to the Code of Conduct. Regular and Full members are required to apply the Code to their owned facilities and must pass it down to their supply chains. The RBA investigates any credible claim of non-conformance to the Code for all Regular and Full member companies at both the company level and within their supply chains.
The RBA receives submissions of grievances as part of its continuous improvement and risk management. Please review the Grievance Mechanism for information on RBA’s incident intake process and resolution. The purpose of this document is to outline a process that members, stakeholders and the public can utilize to raise concerns.
Commitment to Continuous Improvement
Supply chain sustainability doesn’t happen overnight, and companies will always face new or chronic challenges to protect the rights and wellbeing of workers and communities in their supply chains. As the leading industry coalition driving supply chain sustainability, the RBA sets standards, holds members accountable to them, and provides a range of measures to drive continuous improvement in their supply chains.
RBA members demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement in performance in assessments, use of RBA training tools and resources, and participation in RBA activities, including project-specific working groups and taskforces and RBA events.
For additional information about member requirements, including fees and reporting, please view our Join Us page.
