The cooperation meeting between SSADC and APCER 

The cooperation conference initiated by SSADC and APCER (one of the Portuguese Certification Body) was held in the meeting room of SSADC with the two days duration from July 7 to July 8, 2010. In such meeting, SSADC have a friendly, honesty and deeply communication with the partner (APCER) on the projects including SA8000 and BSCI. Being the currently largest certification body in Portugal, APCER, whose former was a Portuguese state-owned certification body, was founded in April, 1996. There are currently more than 60 staff working in the head office of APCER, which also owns many branches set around the world, APCER has been operating a wide range of certification business, such as: ISO9000, SA8000 etc. During the two days meeting, APCER introduced the situation of SA8000, meanwhile they also introduced the market conditions of BSCI and pointed out China has occupied a major position in BSCI market. Then APCER made a comprehensive instruction on the certification procedure of SA8000 and of BSCI, and introduced on how to obtain the information of the factories having intention to be audited against BSCI. SSADC carefully listened all of the aforementioned issues introduced by APCER until had a thorough understanding of such issues, and then have a discussion with APCER focusing on the plans of further cooperation for those projects. Finally, through the two days duration discussion, both sides decided to formally initiate the cooperation on the projects of SA8000 &BSCI.

 Furthermore, the project of second party audit for SONAE was discussed by APCER and us in the same meeting. Both sides expressed satisfaction on the results of the second party audit obtained so far, in addition both sides had an agreement on continually pushing this project to be forward.