BRC Partnership: Striving towards a Global Standard for Consumer Products
The partnership between RILA and the British Retail Consortium (BRC) is focused on developing and implementing the North American version of the Global Standard for Consumer Products, Issue 3 (CP-3) by bringing together the infrastructure and leadership of RILA members’ existing safety requirements into a single recognized safety standard.
With the help of RILA's product safety team, the North American Technical Advisory Committee (NATAC) was created in order to aid in the development of the CP-3. The NATAC is made up of top RILA members whose expertise focuses on product safety, and whose purpose is to develop and guide the CP-3 in cooperation with the BRC’s European Union Technical Advisory Committee (EUTAC). This truly global collaboration includes contributions from both continents to maximize input for this initiative.
About the British Retail Consortium
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is the leading trade association for the UK retail industry. Based in London, its membership includes a range of retailers from department stores to independent and internet-based retailers.
The BRC is widely recognized as a leading international standards body, producing a range of quality and safety standards which are in daily use throughout the world by over 14,000 certificated suppliers in over 100 countries. The BRC currently has a suite of product safety standards covering: Food, Packaging, Consumer Products, and Storage & Distribution. The standards have been translated into 15 different languages and have been designed to allow the assessment of a company’s premises, operational systems, and procedures by competent third party Certification Bodies anywhere in the world.
Originally developed in response to the needs of UK members of the British Retail Consortium, the standards have gained usage worldwide and are specified by growing numbers of retailers and branded manufacturers in the EU, North America, and further afield. Certification to a Global Standard, which is achieved through audit by third party Certification Bodies, reassures retailers and branded manufacturers of the capability and competence of the supplier, and reduces the need for retailers and manufacturers to carry out their own audits, thereby reducing the administrative burden on both the supplier and the customer.
To learn more about BRC Global Standards and the certification program please visit www.brcglobalstandards.com.