APSCA announces its first Certified Social Compliance Auditors (CSCA)

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, December 17, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- On December 11, 2019, the Association of Professional Social Compliance Auditors (APSCA) held its 4th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and an inaugural Stakeholder Event in Shenzhen, China. The events highlighted the advancement of APSCA’s mission, which is to enhance the professionalism, consistency and credibility of individual auditors and organizations performing independent social compliance audits.

The highlight of the day was the recognition of 41 auditors who formed the first group to achieve Certified Social Compliance Auditor (CSCA) status. Introduced in 2018 and subject to a staged release, the CSCA examination process offers eligible auditors an opportunity to gain validation of their auditing competencies.

The CSCA examination process is comprised of three parts designed to evaluate core competencies and has attracted strong industry and stakeholder support. Over 1,700 participants completed the first part of the examination during 2019. Following successful pilots of Parts II and III, APSCA anticipates many more CSCAs will emerge during 2020.
Looking ahead, the organization confirmed increasing the number of CSCAs remains a top priority. APSCA President and CEO Rona Starr commented, “We are pleased with the results of the CSCA examination process to date, though we recognise opportunities to improve exam accessibility. Our auditors represent over 97 different languages with the top four languages making up some 70% of Member Auditors. Future development of the process will prioritise exam availability to better service the diversity of our auditor base”.

APSCA’s Code and Standards of Professional Conduct, as well as the Competency Framework, were updated in 2019 following an internal review. Their release coincided with the formation of a Disciplinary Board and Appeals Board to address allegations of misconduct. Directed by APSCA’s Senior Advisor, Ethics & Integrity, the disciplinary process reflects a major milestone in APSCA’s development, critical to the preservation of the Association’s integrity and transparency. The Disciplinary Board reported the review of nine cases; five were substantiated with sanctions ranging from written warnings through suspension to revocation of membership.

As an industry association, APSCA’s fundamental metrics remain healthy. Auditor memberships demonstrated 31% year on year growth while Member Firms increased to 47. In approaching the anniversary of the organization’s refined Member Firm application process, three firms achieved Full Membership and a further eight achieved Provisional Membership status during 2019. APSCA’s Member Services Manager Kelly-Jo Potts commented, “Membership growth is critical given it has a direct impact on the realization of our strategic objectives. We’ve gained considerable momentum over the past twelve months and established a strong foundation for 2020; another nine Member Firm applications are currently being processed.”

Reflecting on the 2019 – 2020 Strategic Plan, APSCA has delivered strong progress toward the fulfilment of primary objectives. The AGM reinforced a clear vision for the future with resounding acknowledgement of achievements to date.
Accepting both the opportunities and challenges ahead, APSCA continues to strengthen industry credibility – working today in preparation for tomorrow.

See APSCA’s Website www.theapsca.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @the_APSCA #APSCA #AGM2019

Rona Starr
APSCA
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