FEATURE Why I Am A Member
Voluntary participation takes time and energy, and shows a real commitment to the aims of the organisation in question, as panel members of the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers’ Association’s (CHSA) Manufacturing Standards Accreditation Schemes know only too well. Jenny Turner, Marketing Director at SCA Hygiene Products, and Steve Briggs of esp, discuss why they helped establish the scheme, and the benefits that membership brings.
Comprised entirely of volunteer members, Panels focus on the governance and rigour of their Schemes, making sure they are fit- for-purpose and deliver real benefits to distributors and customers. The Soft Tissue Panel maintains the Standard as it is stated in the CHSA Manufacturing Standards Accreditation Scheme. This includes reviewing the anonymised audit reports, taking action as required in the face of non-conformance and promoting the benefits to buyers of purchasing from Scheme members.
Explaining why SCA helped found the Scheme and why she gives her time as a member of the Panel, Jenny Turner, Marketing Director at SCA Hygiene Products Ltd said: “This has always been a highly competitive market. Some buyers’ decisions were based only on case price, especially when making the purchase decision on tissue consumables was one of many tasks to be done.
“As a branded product we always provide full dimensional information but in the face of tough competition many suppliers did not. A buyer would opt for what they believed to be the cheapest product available. With no dimensions on the label, they could never be certain of what was in the package and in many instances were definitely not getting what they thought they were paying for. To hit the target price point, unscrupulous suppliers were providing narrower widths and cutting the length. The result was manufacturers were not competing on a level playing field and buyers were being misled.”
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“Companies that cared about quality and consistency were facing real competitive pressure from companies that were making it look like their products were longer than they really were,” added Steve Briggs of esp. “As manufacturers, we set up the Scheme because we felt the credibility of the whole paper disposables industry was under threat. But the existence of the Scheme on its own is not enough. To maintain its credibility the Scheme must remain rigourous, which is why we are still an active member.”
The need for traceability was also a trigger for the creation of the Schemes. “If a product can’t be traced to the manufacturer then there is no one ultimately taking the responsibility of making sure that product inside matches the dimensions on the label,”
We set up the Scheme because we felt the credibility of the whole paper disposables industry was under threat.
said Jenny. “With the Scheme, we introduced a mechanic that has made products traceable.”
According to the Standard of the Soft Tissue Scheme every product must be clearly labelled with the dimensions of the product. The manufacturer’s number must be on the label and it must, unless a formal exemption has been agreed, have the relevant Scheme logo on the label.
“There is no doubt in my mind that the Soft Tissue Scheme has increased buyers’ of Soft Tissue products understanding of what constitutes a proper value proposition,” continued Steve.
“There is no room for complacency,” added Jenny. “If we relax we will quickly find that products with broad descriptions like 2-ply blue centrefeed and no stated length are commonly being sold.
“Building a greater understanding of the true comparison of one product against another is an ongoing challenge. To strengthen the Scheme we have to make sure distributors and customers really understand and are aware of the assurance they can gain from buying from Scheme members.”
Steve concluded: “We also all know about the rate of change in technology and global communication and the impact this is likely to have in relentlessly increasing the competition in the market. Our challenge is not to stand still in the midst of this. The Scheme must remain relevant to members, potential members and our customers.”
www.chsa.co.uk www.tomorrowscleaning.com
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