Companies operating in international supply chains face increasing regulatory requirements and stakeholder expectations for advanced due diligence on chemical management risks. The global demand for chemical-intensive products continues to experience rapid growth across many sectors. Evaluating companies’ chemical management practices to prevent or mitigate associated adverse impacts on human health and the environment requires specialized knowledge and attention to related industry standards.
The RBA works with members and stakeholders to provide and continually improve upon the SVAP on Chemical Management (SVAP-CM) as a unique assessment focused on facility level chemical management risks. Whether your company is looking to improve its existing chemical management practices, needs third-party assessments of supplier facilities, or is just beginning to address supply chain chemical management risks, the SVAP-CM can help accelerate your supply chain chemical management efforts.
What is the SVAP on Chemical Management?
The SVAP-CM is a facility-level, onsite assessment process used to identify, evaluate, and address chemical management risks. SVAP-CM assessments are conducted by independent, qualified assessors approved by the RBA that have expertise in industrial hygiene, occupational safety, and environmental management.
The assessment criteria of the SVAP-CM protocol were carefully developed by the RBA in consultation with members, stakeholders, and third-party subject matter experts. The program's scope focuses on RBA Code of Conduct provisions related to chemical management and provides a more granular evaluation of facilities’ chemical safety risks than other RBA onsite assessments. It includes all provisions of the RBA's Validated Assessment Program (VAP) related to chemical management, as well as many complementary sub-provisions that more acutely assess occupational hygiene, workplace safety, hazard communication, emergency preparedness, hazardous materials management, and other chemical management risks.
Although its primary purpose is to support supply chain due diligence at facilities with chemical-intensive operations and relatively high potential for hazardous worker exposures, it's also used to address stakeholder allegations and concerrns related to conformance with the RBA Code of Conduct. Beyond the SVAP-CM protocol assessment criteria, protocol addendums may be added to additionally assess conformance of supply chains facilities with customer requirements and voluntary initiatives, including the RBA's Chemical Management Leadership Program (CMLP) and the Clean Electronics Production Network's (CEPN's) Towards Zero Exposure Program.
RBA member companies may deploy the SVAP-CM in RBA-Online following this guidance article in the RBA Knowledge Base, and inquiries can be sent to the RBA's SVAP team at SVAP@responsiblebusiness.org.
For more information on the SVAP-CM, please view the overview here.
