4.03.2008 - 01:19pm ET

(CSRwire) NEW YORK, NY - April 3, 2008 - The Fair Factories Clearinghouse (FFC) announced the launch of its Sharing Platform today. The FFC is a not-for-profit organization that provides tools to participating members to manage and share compliance information on factories around the world manufacturing consumer products.

For years the FFC has provided brands and retailers with a web-based compliance data management software solution that allows them to manage internal factory compliance programs. The FFC's rapidly growing database currently contains 18,000 factory records, with compliance data stored on 84 percent of factories in the system and over 36,000 compliance reports.

The launch of the Sharing Platform now allows members to share collaboration data, access other members' shared data, and initiate collaboration on non-competitive compliance efforts, such as audits and remediation efforts, in accordance with antitrust guidelines provided by our Business Review Letter from the Department of Justice. All sharing and collaboration on the FFC is voluntary and can be done anonymously or not. Members with existing proprietary systems can also participate in sharing.

"Facilitating collaboration between members to improve factory conditions is a fundamental goal of the FFC," said Marianne Voss, the FFC's Executive Director. "By choosing to participate in the FFC, our members are helping us build a community and organized forum that explores the potential of using technology to drive large scale collaboration to maximize financial and operational efficiencies for companies and manufacturers, thereby freeing up resources for improving factory workplace conditions."

The new Sharing Platform allows FFC members to:

- Search the FFC’s database to identify factories shared with other FFC members
- Contact members to help identify potential risk areas and prepare more targeted factory evaluations
- Initiate collaboration with other members on factory auditing and remediation to increase leverage with suppliers, create efficiencies, and reduce labor load and costs
- Access current and historical data shared on the platform for a complete picture of risk management
- Share factory audits and corrective actions plans with other members to contribute to the knowledge of the industry
- Gain an increased knowledge about critical compliance issues in the supply chain and the best practices for improving workplace conditions.

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