The Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association (CHSA) has introduced new certification marks for members of its Accreditation Schemes for Manufacturers, providing greater clarity to buyers of cleaning and hygiene products.
The new Certification Marks clearly state the Accredited product. Buyers will quickly and easily now know if the Accredited products are soft tissue, plastic sacks, cotton mops or cleaning chemicals.
Membership of the CHSA will be indicated by the new CHSA Member Certification Mark. This Mark indicates the member has signed the Association’s stringent Code of Practice, which includes the Competition and Markets Authority’s Green Claims Code. It does not indicate Accreditation of a product category.
Lorcan Mekitarian, Chair of the CHSA, explained: “Standards are in the DNA of the CHSA. We have a long track record of improving and maintaining standards in the industry, so buyers and users of cleaning and hygiene products get what they pay for. The introduction of these new Certification Marks for our Accredited Manufacturers is another step forward, clearly stating exactly which product is Accredited.”
The CHSA has five Accredited Manufacturer categories:
- Accredited Manufacturers of Soft Tissue guarantee the dimensions and count of every product and other required information is as indicated on the label.
- Accredited Manufacturers of Plastic Sacks guarantee they are fit for purpose and the dimensions, count and other required information are as indicated on the label.
- Accredited Manufacturers of Cotton Mops guarantee the weight, absorbency and, where relevant, the cotton content. They also guarantee the dimensions and count, and other required information are as indicated on the label. The dimensions and count of all ancillary products are also covered by the Scheme.
- Accredited Manufacturers of Cleaning and Hygiene Chemicals guarantee the product volume and other required information is as specified on the label and fully supported by relevant test data. In addition, they guarantee the containers and plastic bottles holding the chemical products are recyclable.
- Accredited General Manufacturers, who will have the CHSA Member Certification Mark, have signed the CHSA’s Code of Practice.
The CHSA also has an Accreditation Scheme for distributors of cleaning and hygiene products. All distributor members have committed to buy cleaning and hygiene products from a CHSA Accredited Manufacturer, or product that conforms to the relevant Scheme standard. They also guarantee cleaning and hygiene products not covered by a CHSA Accreditation Scheme for Manufacturers conform to the clear and rigorous commitments within the Code of Practice.
The integrity of the CHSA’s Accreditation Schemes is underpinned by Independent Inspection. A quality assurance professional audits CHSA members at least annually, confirming compliance to the Scheme.
The combination of the Code of Practice, signed by every member, and Accreditation Schemes guarantee CHSA members:
- Trade ethically and sustainably;
- Provide quality, fit for purpose products; and
- Make sure ‘what’s on the box is what’s in the box’.
