The BSCI

The BSCI is a non-profit organisation, based in Brussels. BSCI membership is open to any and all European and non-European companies or associations. The BSCI is intended as a sector solution for retail but is also open to importers and manufacturers of consumer goods.

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    The Members' Assembly:
    The Working Groups:
    The Supervisory Council:
    The Stakeholder Board:
        A) European level
            1. Objectives
            2. Members
            3. Procedures
        B) Supplier country level
            1.Objectives
            2.Setup of Round Tables
    The BSCI Executive Office:

The Members' Assembly:

The Members' Assembly consists of all regular and associated members. The assembly convenes at least twice a year. It is responsible for long-term planning and strategic decision making concerning the initiative. Its areas of responsibility include budget, activities, procedures and structure and issues of BSCI membership admission and expulsion.
The BSCI executive office sends decision proposals to all members at least two weeks prior to the Meetings. If decision proposals are sent within a shorter time period, they can¡¯t be subject to voting, but only to discussion.
A valid vote in the Members Assembly can be taken if at least 50% of the BSCI member companies are present or represented. Members which can¡¯t participate in the assembly can give a proxy to vote to another member. At the beginning of each Members Assembly, the chairperson states if a valid voting is possible.
Each member present can represent a maximum of 2 other members. Votes are taken by hand sign.
For a valid decision, a simple majority is sufficient.
Existential decisions, for example, concerning the BSCI Code of Conduct, the BSCI System: Rules and Functioning and legal issues of the BSCI, are taken with a 2/3 majority.
The BSCI executive office takes the minutes of the meetings and circulates them among all members.

The Working Groups:

The Members' Assembly can establish working groups for specific issues. One permanent working group is the working group System Development. The working group System Development meets to prepare concrete proposals regarding the system and its elements which are then presented to the Members' Assembly. The working group System Development should contain a representative from each country taking part in the initiative. BSCI members¡¯ representatives can volunteer to join the working group System Development or other working groups. Other persons with relevant expertise can be invited to participate in working group System Development or other working group meetings.

The Supervisory Council:

The Supervisory Council consists of at least three regular members representing all regular Members and one representative of the Executive office (see below). The Members' representatives are nominated by the Members' Assembly itself and should reflect the national and geographical make-up of the Members' Assembly. The Supervisory Council is the initiative's official representative to governmental and other institutions, on public and official occasions. It will publish regular public reports. The Supervisory Council convenes as often as necessary, but at least twice a year. Decisions are taken by simple majority.

The Supervisory Council can elect one of its members to be its spokesperson. The spokesperson must be a company representative.

Members of the council are elected for a two year term. They can be re-elected to the council up to two times, for a total of six years.

The Stakeholder Board:

A) European level

1. Objectives

BSCI aims at taking the interests of stakeholders in the system into account, in the light of a continuous and constructive dialogue. The Stakeholders Board guides the project from the view of the respective organisation/institution with respect to drafting, operation, policy, development and implementation in a spirit of constructive cooperation. The Stakeholder Board initiates, approves and advises on policy and systemic questions of the BSCI except issues related to the budget and internal organisational questions.

2. Members

The Stakeholder Board may be made up of 12 members representing the following stakeholder groups: representatives of trade unions (as designated by their respective trade union structures), NGO¡¯s, representatives of suppliers, import and export business associations, Government representatives, representatives of international organisations (e.g. UN) and BSCI members.
In order to ensure a fair representation, no stakeholder group should be represented in disproportion to the others.

BSCI should appoint the members, drawn two from each of the above mentioned groups (trade unions, NGOs, suppliers, import and export business associations, government,
international organisations and BSCI members), upon consultation with SAI. SAI will support the nomination process and encourage participation in the Stakeholder Board.

Members of the Stakeholder Board are appointed for 2 years. They can be reappointed. A member may be asked to resign upon failing to attend three consecutive meetings.

The Stakeholder Board may request supporting expertise from outside its membership.

3. Procedures

The BSCI executive office informs the members of the Stakeholder Board on a regular basis about the development of the project. On request, the members of the Stakeholder Board have access to all available documents. They are obliged to treat all company and personnel related information which are being disclosed in the Stakeholder Board confidentially and shall sign a confidentiality document.

In the Stakeholder Board each member has one vote. Decisions are taken with simple majority.
The Stakeholder Board convenes twice a year. Upon request, travel expenses for representatives of NGOs and trade unions can be reimbursed according to the BSCI¡¯s internal guidelines.

B) Supplier country level

1.Objectives

BSCI aims at creating sustainability of its efforts in supplier countries. As it is the main responsibility of local stakeholders like government authorities, business organisations, trade unions and NGOs on the local level to implement existing national and international legislation and to improve social standards, BSCI¡¯s goal is to promote an environment where these organisations fulfil their tasks and responsibilities.
In order to enhance this process so called Round Tables have been established in ten countries. Also the BSCI has the opportunity to be active in these stakeholder forums. This is a very good possibility to strengthen local stakeholder involvement thus promoting the BSCI¡¯s goal to create more sustainability. With the support of the executive office, BSCI members contribute to the exchange between the BSCI and the Round Tables.

2.Setup of Round Tables

Participants at the Round Tables are representatives of government authorities, business organisations, trade unions, NGOs, academia, auditors, other organisations with an interest and a link to the topic of CSR and social standards monitoring.

Round Tables have been established so far in the major import markets of BSCI members:

• Bangladesh
• Bulgaria
• China
• Hong Kong
• India
• Indonesia
• Morocco
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• Romania
• Turkey
• Vietnam.

Especially with a view to the BSCI¡¯s implementation in the primary production in agriculture, it is planned to set up additional Round Tables in Africa and Latin America.

The BSCI Executive Office:

The Executive Office is provided by the Foreign Trade Association. Its tasks revolve around the administration of the initiative and include:

• Organisation of the initiative's monitoring process
• Preparation of the Members' Assembly and Supervisory Council meetings
• Coordination of the Working Groups
• Coordination of the Stakeholder Engagement
• Development and implementation of the management tools recommended by the Members' Assembly
• Clarification of questions from the initiative's member companies and associations
• Managing the initiative's database
• Providing support for the Supervisory Council in its role as external representative of the BSCI
• Public relations

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