BSCI certification (amfori): definition, audit and A to E ratings
BSCI is amfori's social audit programme, amfori being a business association that claims more than 2,400 members using its audits. It checks working conditions in factories, from working hours to wages and safety, and rates each site from A to E to help it improve.
On a textile supplier's spec sheet, "BSCI certified" comes up often. The phrase is convenient but inaccurate: BSCI issues no certificate. Here is what a BSCI audit really checks, what its ratings are worth, and how to use them when you choose the garments for your custom merch.
What is BSCI?
BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative) is a social compliance programme launched in 2003 and run by amfori, a global business association (retailers, importers, brands) that claims more than 2,400 members using its audits. Its code of conduct was built with Social Accountability International, the organisation behind the SA8000 standard.
The programme is now called amfori BSCI. amfori is the organisation, BSCI its social audit programme: on supplier sheets, both names refer to the same approach.
Does BSCI certification really exist?
No, BSCI certification does not exist: BSCI is an audit, not a certificate. After the audit, the factory does not receive a document declaring it compliant; it receives a rating from A to E, and that rating sets the date of the next check.
"BSCI certified" is therefore a figure of speech. The accurate wording is "audited against the amfori BSCI code", with the rating obtained and the date of the audit.
What does a BSCI audit check?
A BSCI audit checks compliance with the 13 principles of the amfori BSCI code of conduct in a factory. They include: working hours and fair pay, health and safety at work, no child labour and protection of young workers, no forced labour or precarious employment, freedom of association and collective bargaining, non-discrimination, ethical business conduct, environmental protection.
The audit takes place on site, carried out by a provider approved by amfori. It looks at the factory, not at a product: it says nothing about the material of a t-shirt, which is the job of other labels such as GOTS.
What do BSCI ratings from A to E mean?
BSCI ratings range from A (outstanding) to E (unacceptable), and each one sets the deadline for the next audit. A factory rated A or B meets the requirements and is only re-audited two years later; a C is acceptable, with points to improve and a new audit within a year.
| Rating | What it means | Next audit |
|---|---|---|
| A | outstanding, beyond the requirements | 2 years |
| B | good, requirements met | 2 years |
| C | acceptable, points to improve | 1 year |
| D | insufficient, significant gaps | follow-up within 1 year |
| E | unacceptable, a zero-tolerance issue found | follow-up within 6 months |
The rating matters more than the word BSCI: a factory audited E is part of the programme without offering any guarantee.
Who can request a BSCI audit?
Only amfori members can trigger a BSCI audit, and only the factories that supply them can be audited. A factory therefore does not get audited on its own to display a selling point: a member customer, often a European retailer, enrols it in the programme.
Is a BSCI audit mandatory?
No, a BSCI audit is not a legal obligation. Yet it is required in practice by many European retailers that are amfori members, who make it a condition for listing a supplier.
How much does a BSCI audit cost?
A BSCI audit usually costs between 800 and 2,000 dollars, plus the factory's registration on the amfori platform.
BSCI vs SA8000 vs Fair Wear: how do they differ?
BSCI, SA8000 and Fair Wear all deal with working conditions, but they don't check the same thing. BSCI rates a factory without certifying it; SA8000 certifies it for three years; Fair Wear reviews a clothing brand across all its production sites every year.
| BSCI | SA8000 | Fair Wear | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who is assessed | a factory | a factory | a brand and all its workshops |
| What it gets | a rating from A to E | a three-year certificate | a member status assessed every year |
| Who initiates it | an amfori member customer | the factory itself | the brand |
For the details of each: our SA8000 sheet and our Fair Wear sheet.
How to use BSCI when choosing your merch?
To choose your merch with BSCI, ask for the rating of the last audit and its date, not just the mention. An A or B rating less than two years old says something concrete about the factory; a mention with no rating and no date says almost nothing.
On your own materials, never write "BSCI certified": if your supplier gives you a rating, write "made in a factory audited to amfori BSCI", and keep the proof at hand.
BSCI in the TKNP catalogue?
The TKNP catalogue pages we checked do not mention a BSCI audit: BSCI concerns a supplier's factory, and it is up to the clothing brand to share its rating. In our catalogue, the verifiable social guarantee mostly comes through Fair Wear, shown for example on the product page of Stanley/Stella's STTU169 t-shirt.
It's the right time to build a collection whose supply chain you know: the Store, coming soon, will let you offer it directly to your community.
Key takeaways
- BSCI is a social factory audit run by amfori, not a certification: the factory gets a rating from A to E.
- Only factories supplying an amfori member can be audited, and the audit is not mandatory.
- For your merch, ask for the rating and date of the last audit, and never write "BSCI certified".
Frequently asked questions
Who carries out BSCI audits?
BSCI audits are carried out by audit providers approved by amfori, such as QIMA, TÜV SÜD or Eurofins. They visit the factory on site.
Which texts is the amfori BSCI code based on?
The amfori BSCI code of conduct is based on the major international texts: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN and OECD guidelines for business, the UN Global Compact and the conventions of the International Labour Organization.
Since when has BSCI existed?
The BSCI initiative was launched in 2003. It is now run by amfori under the name amfori BSCI.
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