What is SQP (Supplier Qualification Program)?
The SQP Program presents an effective solution for retailers, brands, and buyers to evaluate supplier performance and promote continuous improvement. It provides a standard that shows improvement by ensuring supplier’s production processes have the controls which are required to mitigate risk. It also helps to measure supplier performance and at the same time facilitating continuous improvement in managing product quality and safety. Many American and UK based customers are demanding this certification from their suppliers. Effective measures for supplier’s production processes and quality safety evaluation being demanded by the brands and international buyers, they demand more effective way of evaluations. Proactive ways are being discovered by the factories to benchmark themselves and track progress against competitors and national standards. Significant shift has been observed towards greater transparency and the implementation tool for assessing continuous improvement.
SQP is the voluntary certification program and is suitable for any organization i.e., large, medium and small considering improvement in its quality assurance practices and sustainability to meet the expectations of all stakeholders. SQP audit is performed against the requirements of SQP standard which assures safe, legal, ethical & secure manufacturing process.
The SQP audit standard was developed by rigorously surveying the requirements of globalconsumer product brands and retailers. SQP focuses on the Consumer Productmanufacturing industry and covers the following sectors:
- Generic Hardline Manufacturing (e.g., household & DIY)
- Garment
- Toys
- Footwear
The SQP Industry Standard covers the following areas:
- Management Commitment and Continual Improvement
- Risk Management Systems
- Quality Management Systems
- Site and Facilities Management
- Product Control
- Product Testing and Product Claims
- Process Control (Hardline, Garment, Toy and Footwear)
- Personnel Training and Competency
The SQP Business Benefits include:
- Improved Controls and Processes for Managing Product Quality and Safety
- Improved Transparency and Trust between Buyers and Suppliers
- Reduced Audit Fatigue
- Ability to Demonstrate Measurable Outcomes
- Better Risk Management
- Recognition through Achievement Award for Top Performing Suppliers
- Get new business opportunities from international Retailers
- Develop complete Quality Management system
- Improve the traceability
- Acceptable for International organizations