This article explains how to prepare for your SLCP self or joint assessment. You will find guidance on selecting the right Step, involving the right people, preparing documents, and planning your timeline.
- Familiarize yourself with the Data Collection Tool
- Select your assessment Step
- Choose between a self or joint assessment
- Collecting relevant input and data
- Prepare your documents
- Planning and timeframes
Before you start filling in the Data Collection Tool (the Tool), it is important to spend some time preparing. Good preparation will help you complete your assessment more efficiently and avoid delays during the verification process.
If you are completing an SLCP assessment for the first time, we recommend reading this article carefully before you begin. If you are a returning facility, you can use it as a checklist to make sure everything is in order.
Before you start preparing for your assessment, we recommend completing our e-learning or visiting our training library. Both resources will give you a solid understanding of the SLCP assessment process and help you get the most out of this article.
- SLCP e-learning — a self-paced online course covering the key steps of the SLCP assessment process
- SLCP training library — a collection of training materials, videos, and resources to support your SLCP journey
Familiarize yourself with the Data Collection Tool
Before starting your assessment, we recommend reviewing the Tool and its questions. This will help you understand what information you need to gather and which departments and individuals you need to involve.
You can use the following resources to familiarize yourself with the Tool:
- All questions visible — a version of the Tool that shows all questions, including conditional questions that are normally hidden
- Flat file — a version that lists all possible questions in a single Excel sheet, making it easy to review and sort
You can download both versions on from our article on Data Collection Tool. You can also use the CAF Explorer to explore the Tool directly on the Gateway platform. You can access it via this link.
Selecting your assessment Step
The number of questions you answer in the Tool depends on the Step you choose.
Step 1 includes the minimum number of questions. Steps 2 and 3 include additional questions on top of Step 1. You can select the Step when you start your assessment on your chosen Active Accredited Host platform.
Here is an overview of what each Step covers:
Step |
Name |
What it covers |
Step 1 |
Essential |
Key social & labor compliance questions, mostly connected to International Labor Standards and National Labor Law. |
Step 2 |
Progressive |
Includes Step 1. Focuses on management systems and questions that are additional/supportive social & labor compliance questions but less critical. These questions are often found in social industry and certification standards. |
Step 3 |
Advanced |
Includes Steps 1 and 2. Questions that go above and beyond social responsibility industry standards, are not required by national or international law, and seek to elevate workplace well-being and community impact. |
Consider the following when making your Step selection:
- Buyer requirements — most larger brands and standards require Step 2, as it covers questions found in social industry standards and brand codes of conduct. Check this list to understand the requirements of your brand partner.
- Management system — if your facility has written policies and procedures to manage social compliance, choose Step 2 to showcase your management system.
- Facility size — if your facility has fewer than 250 workers, Step 1 is likely the most appropriate choice.
- Ambition level — if your facility wants to showcase high level of social performance, such as worker well-being or community programs, choose Step 3.
Choose between a self or joint assessment
You can complete your SLCP assessment in two ways — as a self-assessment or a joint assessment. The outcome of both is considered equally in the SLCP assessment process.
Self-assessment
In a self-assessment, you fill in the Tool yourself, with all relevant departments and individuals involved. If you reach out to a business partner to ask a few questions or get some clarification, it is still considered a self-assessment.
Joint assessment
In a joint assessment, you get help filling in the Tool from an external organization. This organization can be contracted on a paid or unpaid basis to assist with:
- Advising on how to answer questions
- Reviewing the assessment
- Preparing for the verification
Examples of organizations that can help include Verifier Bodies (VBs), Training Bodies, SLCP Signatory brands, agents, civil society organizations, and social responsibility consultancies.
Important: if a Verifier Body helped you complete your joint assessment, that same Verifier Body cannot verify the assessment.
If you encounter difficulties completing or understanding the Tool, we encourage you to consider a joint assessment.
Collecting relevant input and data
Completing an SLCP assessment requires input from multiple departments and individuals across your facility. The assessment covers data from the last 12 months, so it is important to involve everyone who has access to the relevant information early on.
The following departments and roles are typically involved:
| Section of the Tool | Recommendation on who to involve |
| Facility Profile | Management, HR |
| Recruitment & Hiring | HR, recruitment team |
| Working Hours | HR, payroll, operations |
| Wages & Benefits | HR, payroll, finance |
| Worker Treatment | HR, management |
| Worker Involvement | HR, worker representatives, union representatives |
| Health & Safety | Health & Safety team, facilities management |
| Termination | HR, management |
| Management Systems (Step 2 and 3 only) | Management, compliance team |
| Above & Beyond (Step 3 only) | Management, CSR team |
We also recommend involving employee and union representatives, where applicable, to help complete the assessment answers.
Prepare your documents
You will need to organize and maintain documentation to complete your assessment and to prepare for the Verifier's review during the onsite visit. A full document list can be found in Annex VI of the Verification Protocol. We also recommend reading the full Verification Protocol, as it contains important information about what to expect during the verification.
On your Accredited Host (AH) platform, you can upload documents or photos for each question to provide supporting evidence. All uploads will be attached to the final SLCP assessment. If you choose to share your assessment with a business partner, the uploaded documents will be shared along with it.
Important: SLCP strongly recommends not uploading records that could violate an individual's privacy or data protection rights. Examples of appropriate documents to upload include policies, procedures, handbooks, training materials, risk assessments, and certificates.
Planning and timeframes
Planning your timeline carefully will help you avoid delays. Below is our suggested timeframe when it comes to preparation for your self/joint assessment.
| Milestone | Suggested Timeframe |
| Time to complete self assessment (first time customers) | Approximately 2 weeks |
| Time to complete self assessment (experienced customers) | A few days |
| Submit assessment to Verifier Body before scheduled verification | At least 10 working days before the verification date |
| Verification timeframe | Within 2 months of completing the assessment |
Please note: a Verifier can only verify assessment data that was submitted within the past two months. If your data is older than two months, the Verifier will ask you to either re-open your assessment to confirm the data is up to date and resubmit or start a new assessment. You cannot change your data after the onsite verification has started.
When it comes to selecting a VB for your self/joint assessment, it’s advisable to pre-view the list of eligible VBs on the Active Accredited Host already in the final stages of assessment writing. This way you can already start making a selection and inquiring about the prices and availability of the VBs on your list ahead of completion of your assessment. You can find more details about preparing for SLCP verification in this article.