The coronavirus pandemic didn’t stop the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association (CHSA) auditing members, giving buyers of cleaning and hygiene products the certainty that “what’s on the box is what’s in the box”.
During 2020, a total of 146 audits took place, equalling the number of audits conducted in 2019. Members across all the Schemes achieved compliance of 93% or more.
The CHSA’s independent auditor checked 11,969 product lines in distributors. He audited 1,160 individual cotton-based products for compliance. He checked more than 472 labels on plastic-based products and 126 individual products. 740 labels on paper-based products were audited and the dimensions of 242 paper-based products confirmed.
In addition, the Accreditation Scheme for Manufacturers of Cleaning Chemicals was launched in September 2020, with 18 members being checked before receiving formal certification. These results make clear the importance of looking for the CHSA Certification Mark when buying cleaning and hygiene products.
The CHSA achieved its strategic ambition of Accrediting all members with the launch of the Scheme for Manufacturers of Cleaning Chemicals. The combination of the Association’s rigorous Code of Practice and its Accreditation Schemes guarantees its members trade ethically and work hard to maintain standards in the industry.
Mike Stubbs, Chairman of the CHSA’s Accreditation Schemes, explained: “Our rigorous process of independent inspection means buyers of cleaning and hygiene products can trust the CHSA Certification Mark.
“We are incredibly proud of the Schemes. Members’ consistently high levels of compliance proves their commitment to maintaining standards in the industry, but we are never complacent. It’s why we worked so hard in the face of the pandemic to maintain the rigour of our auditing process. Not able to go into every warehouse and on to every shop floor, we increased our sourcing of relevant product on the open market to make sure we covered all members and product areas.”
To join the Association, every member must first pass the initial audit of their product range and quality assurance procedures. Conducted by the CHSA’s highly qualified Independent Inspector, it guarantees CHSA members are amongst the very best in the industry.
Committed to the integrity of the Schemes, the CHSA’s governing Council will expel any Scheme member who, in spite of being offered the guidance required to correct issues, consistently fails to conform to the relevant Scheme Standard.
