There are two forms of membership depending on whether the member has a supply chain or not. Membership fees will vary depending on the type of membership. As a non profit organisation, the membership fees serve to develop the BSCI in the best interests of its members.

• Regular members are retail, brand, trading and importing companies with an active role in the supply chain. They will actively participate in the auditing and integration of their suppliers into the BSCI qualification and auditing process.
• Associate members are any companies, associations and institutions without an active role in the supply chain. They support the initiative but do not  implement the BSCI process.

The main benefit for your company is clearly to save time and reduce costs while efficiently improving working conditions in your supply chain.What do you get when becoming member of the BSCI?

• Right to use an already effective and well-established system to improve working conditions in your supply chain
• Access to comprehensive and consistent management tools and processes available in 20 languages: self-Assessment, management manual audit questionnaire, Audit report forms, audit guidelines for auditing companies...
• Access to the supplier database gathering audit infromation. It is a central tool to avoid you from multiple auditing
• Access to common training and qualification activities organised for BSCI members in Europe and for their suppliers in sourcing countries
• Access to an international network of accredited auditing companies to conduct BSCI audits worldwide
• Access to a constructive dialogue with various stakeholders in Europe and supplier countries
• Participation in the development of the BSCI
• Participation in a platform for discussion, exchange of experiences and best practices on social compliance
• Availability of the BSCI Executive Office for expert advices and support
• Access to information via the BSCI Newsletter for members and the BSCI members´area on the website.
  

BSCI Membership also brings certain obligations:

• Integrate the BSCI Code of Conduct in core business: All BSCI members accept that the BSCI Code of Conduct becomes part of their sourcing activities and is adopted in their buying practices. This measure effectively ensures that they commit to implement the Code in their supply chain.  
• Demonstrate concrete involvement of suppliers: Our members commit that within 3 1/2 years, after having joined the BSCI, theys have to involve at least 2/3 of their suppliers in the BSCI auditing system. This commitment is regularly checked. We have a strict procedure for ensuring that companies fulfil this obligation.
• Share audit results: The BSCI database contains information about BSCI audit results which are shared exclusively between BSCI Members. In order to protect suppliers´ and members´ core business data, access is restricted. The database avoids multiple auditing of the same suppliers and help to track non-compliances found in audits while simultaneously indicating where capacity building for suppliers is needed.
• Engage time and effort with the BSCI: Top management has to back the entire approach of the companies’ commitment to corporate social responsibility, and set responsibilities, in particular those of buyers, which have to be defined within the company. Buyers play a key role and have a responsibility for monitoring social performance of suppliers as it is as important as price, quality and delivery time.
• Communicate about the involvement: The BSCI encourages its members to actively communicate about their BSCI activities. Transparency is a key for credibility – this involves information about the BSCI membership but also which concrete measures have been taken in terms of auditing and capacity building for suppliers.
• Being active in the BSCI governance and in a National Contact Group: The representatives of BSCI member companies are shaping the BSCI through their active participation in the governance structure. This guarantees that the BSCI reflects the needs and take the input of its members into consideration in decision-making process. In several countries, National Contact Groups are another platform to exchange experience with other members.

BSCI Membership fees

The BSCI membership fees from 1.1.2007 are detailed below. Companies with a turnover below 500.000 Euro shall not be eligible for membership. The annual turnover refers to the last financial year. Please send us a copy of your annual report for us to check.

Option 1: BSCI Memberships

Option 2: BSCI and FTA Memberships

The BSCI members who are also members of the Foreign Trade Association (FTA) get a special reduction. The BSCI has been created by FTA in 2003. The FTA is the association of European commerce specialised in international trade issues. It represents the interests of national trade associations and companies in the European and International arena. For more information about the FTA, please visit the website: http://www.fta-eu.org.