The SLCP Is Now an Independent Nonprofit
The Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP) has flown the nest.
The multi-stakeholder initiative, which seeks to create a more streamlined approach to social compliance assessments, revealed Monday that it has cleaved from the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) and transitioned into an independent nonprofit.
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“We are excited to be moving forward with the next stage of SLCP’s evolution, building on the strong foundation and the impact we have already achieved with SAC, our signatories and partners,” said SLCP CEO Janet Mensink.
Launched in 2015 by the sustainability trade group, whose members include boldface names like Gap Inc., H&M Group, Nike, Uniqlo parent Fast Retailing and Zara owner Inditex, the SLCP has rallied more than 250 signatories in support of its Converged Assessment Framework (CAF), which has rolled out in 11,000 facilities in over 60 countries, “unlocking” an estimated $23 million in savings through reduced duplicative audits.
Despite the SLCP’s new independence—the new legal entity is a Dutch foundation known as a “stichting”—the CAF will continue to underpin the SAC’s Higg Facility Social & Labor Module (FLSM) as part of the two organizations’ “shared vision of improved global working conditions.” The SLCP and SAC plan to expand the CAF’s reach into adjacent categories and industries, as well as accelerate the parsing of their shared data into actionable insights for stakeholders.
“As both organizations navigate this exciting new phase, our commitment to shared goals and values is greater than ever and propels us toward catalyzing collective action at scale,” said Andrew Martin, executive vice president at SAC. “It is no longer enough to deliver value to shareholders without lasting positive human impact and societal change.”
This is a milestone development, the organizations said, one that will drive back audit fatigue through harmonized assessment frameworks. The SLCP’s new five-year strategic plan, which will run from now through 2028, will focus on increasing adoption, enhancing data quality and integrity, developing analytics and insights, and ensuring greater alignment with international labor standards and national labor law.
“SLCP has just completed its first five years as a live program,” said Jonathan Obermeister, SLCP’s independent chair. “During that time, we have demonstrated the value we can bring, built critical mass and achieved financial self-sufficiency. We’re now ready to take the next step as a fully independent organization, with ambitious plans for growth while maintaining the multi-stakeholder ethos which has been such an important factor in our success so far.”
