WRAP Certification | Social Audit for Global Supply Chain

Q: What are the WRAP certification levels and how long are they valid?

WRAP issues three certification levels. Platinum is valid for 2 years and is awarded after three consecutive full-compliance audits with no corrective actions. Gold is the standard level, valid for 1 year, for facilities in full compliance with the 12 Principles. Silver is valid for 6 months and is issued where minor non-compliances in policies, procedures or training need to be closed; no more than three consecutive Silver certificates are permitted.

Q: How is WRAP different from amfori BSCI and Sedex SMETA?

WRAP is industry-specific (apparel, footwear, sewn products) and the most widely recognized scheme by North American retailers. amfori BSCI is sector-agnostic and dominant in European sourcing. Sedex SMETA is a methodology, not a certification, used by many UK, European and global retailers. Many brands run WRAP plus one of the others to satisfy buyer requirements across regions.

What is WRAP?

WRAP is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and certifying ethical labor practices and responsible production throughout the garment, footwear, and sewn goods industries. It offers a comprehensive audit and certification program that assesses factories against its 12 Principles including:

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Compliance with laws and workplace regulations
Prohibition of forced labor
Prohibition of child labor
Prohibition of harassment or abuse
Compensation and benefits
Hours of Work
Prohibition of Discrimination
Health and Safety
Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining
Environment
Customs Compliance
Security

Over 700 buyers, brands, and retailers worldwide accept WRAP certifications, making it the most widely accepted independent certification program in the sewn products production and related sectors. WRAP-certified facilities who comply with these principles demonstrate their commitment to having a safe, healthy, and ethical work environmental for their workers.

Important Note: It is important to remember that WRAP certifications can only be granted to individual production units. Holding companies, brands, and retailers are not eligible to apply directly for WRAP certification, but they often require their suppliers to be WRAP-certified.

WRAP no longer offers certification levels as of March 1, 2026. Upon passing the WRAP audit, facilities will receive a certificate which will indicate an annual Certification of Compliance.

All certified facilities are also subject to random, unannounced Post-Certification Assessments during their certification period to ensure continued compliance.

Bureau Veritas – Your Trusted Partner for Social Audit

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Dedicated Social Auditors with in-depth experience and consistency for better assessments.

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SOCIAL COMPLIANCE / APPAREL & FOOTWEAR

WRAP Certification for Apparel & Footwear

Bureau Veritas is an approved WRAP monitoring organization auditing apparel, footwear and sewn-products facilities against the WRAP 12 Principles, supporting Platinum (2-year), Gold (1-year) and Silver (6-month) certification outcomes. Our audits help brands satisfy North American retailer requirements, build defensible US UFLPA and EU CSDDD evidence, and consolidate WRAP, BSCI, SMETA and SA8000 work into one efficient social-compliance program.

THE CHALLENGE

Why Apparel & Footwear Brands Choose WRAP Certification

Apparel and footwear brands face rising pressure from retailers, regulators and NGOs to verify that cut-and-sew partners meet ethical labor and environmental standards. Major North American retailers list WRAP certification as a sourcing prerequisite, and generic social audits often do not carry the industry weight that buyers in apparel and footwear ask for. At the same time, factories are running 4 to 6 overlapping social audits a year — fragmenting management attention and inflating cost.

WRAP Certification addresses these pressures with a globally recognized standard built specifically for apparel, footwear and sewn-products manufacturing. It covers the working-hour, wage, dormitory, customs and security risks typical of cut-and-sew operations — and gives buyers a single, credible reference point when comparing factories across regions.

CERTIFICATION LEVELS

The Three WRAP Certification Levels

WRAP issues three certification levels based on audit outcomes and management commitment to the 12 Principles. The level — not just the audit pass — is what buyers look at first.

Level	Validity	Awarded when	What it signals to buyers
Platinum	2 years	Full compliance with all 12 Principles across 3 consecutive certification audits, no corrective actions, no gaps between cycles.	Top-tier supplier. Reduced re-audit frequency. Strong evidence for UFLPA and CSDDD files.
Gold	1 year	Standard WRAP level. Full compliance with the 12 Principles at the time of audit.	Approved supplier. Default outcome for well-managed factories.
Silver	6 months	Substantial compliance with minor non-compliances in policies, procedures or training to close. No red-flag findings allowed. Maximum 3 consecutive Silver certificates.	Conditional approval. Buyers typically require a corrective action plan and verification audit before re-order volumes.

All WRAP-certified facilities — at any level — are subject to random, unannounced post-certification assessments (PCAs) during the certification period.

OUR SOLUTIONS

Bureau Veritas WRAP Certification Services

Bureau Veritas is an approved WRAP monitoring organization with 35+ years of social-compliance experience in apparel and footwear. We conduct WRAP audits, support corrective action closure, and feed findings into broader supply-chain due-diligence programs covering UFLPA, CSDDD, German LkSG and customer codes of conduct.

What WRAP Certification Covers

WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production) is an independent, non-profit organization founded in 2000, focused on safe, lawful, humane and ethical manufacturing in apparel, footwear and sewn-products. Certification is based on 12 Principles spanning labor practices, workplace conditions, environmental responsibility and customs/security compliance. Certification is facility-specific — each manufacturing location is audited and certified independently.

The WRAP 12 Principles: What We Audit

Our WRAP 12 Principles audit methodology assesses your facilities across every area of responsible production:

Compliance with Laws & Workplace Regulations

Verification that the facility complies with all applicable laws and regulations in the country of operation — labor, health and safety, and environmental requirements.

Prohibition of Forced Labor

Assessment that no involuntary, prison, indentured or bonded labor is used. Workers must be free to leave employment after reasonable notice.

Prohibition of Child Labor

Verification that no workers under age 14 (or under the compulsory education age) are employed, and young workers are not exposed to hazardous conditions.

Prohibition of Harassment or Abuse

Assessment that the facility maintains a work environment free from harassment, abuse or corporal punishment. Disciplinary practices must be documented and humane.

Compensation & Benefits

Review of wage payments, overtime compensation and legally mandated benefits. Workers must be paid at least the minimum wage and receive all entitled benefits.

Hours of Work

Verification that working hours comply with local laws and do not exceed 60 hours per week (including overtime), with at least one day off per seven-day period.

Prohibition of Discrimination

Assessment that hiring, compensation, promotion and termination decisions are based on ability, not on personal characteristics or beliefs.

Health & Safety

Evaluation of workplace safety, emergency preparedness, PPE, machine guarding, ventilation, sanitation and access to clean drinking water.

Freedom of Association & Collective Bargaining

Verification that workers have the right to join or form unions and engage in collective bargaining without interference or retaliation.

Environment

Review of environmental permits, waste management, wastewater treatment, air emissions and chemical handling against local environmental regulations.

Customs Compliance

Assessment that the facility maintains accurate import/export records and complies with applicable customs laws and regulations.

Security

Verification of procedures to prevent unauthorized access, protect shipments and maintain supply-chain security (particularly relevant for C-TPAT and other trade-security programs).

Our WRAP Certification Process

1. Pre-Audit Preparation

We work with your facility to complete the WRAP self-assessment, review documentation requirements and schedule the initial audit. Our team flags common compliance gaps to close before auditors arrive.

2. Initial Audit

Our trained WRAP auditors conduct an on-site assessment covering all 12 Principles — document reviews, facility walkthroughs, confidential worker interviews and management interviews.

3. Corrective Action

For any non-compliances, we provide detailed corrective-action guidance and work with your facility on root-cause solutions and implementation timelines.

4. Verification Audit

Once corrective actions are implemented, a verification audit confirms that findings have been closed effectively and sustainably.

5. Certification Issuance

WRAP issues Platinum, Gold or Silver certification based on the audit outcome. Your facility is listed in the WRAP certified-facilities registry accessible to buyers worldwide.

6. Ongoing Monitoring

Bureau Veritas supports facilities through the certification period, including readiness for random unannounced post-certification assessments (PCAs) conducted by WRAP.

Learn more about our social compliance services

CUT THE AUDIT, NOT THE STANDARD

Cutting Audit Fatigue and Reducing Total Audit Spend

Most apparel and footwear factories now run 4 to 6 social audits per year against overlapping schemes — WRAP, BSCI, SMETA, SA8000, customer codes — with 50-65% clause overlap between them. The result is duplicated audit days, repeated worker interviews, and corrective-action plans that get closed on paper but reopened on the next visit.

Where the spend goes

▪ 4-6 overlapping audits/yr per facility
▪ Repeated document pulls and worker interviews
▪ Surface-fix CAPs that reopen at the next cycle
▪ Lost production time during audit weeks
▪ Decertification risk from missed PCAs

Where we cut

▪ Pre-audit gap assessment to lift WRAP outcome from Silver/Gold toward Platinum
▪ Combined-audit scoping (WRAP + BSCI or SMETA in one visit) where buyer accepts
▪ Root-cause CAP closure to stop repeat findings
▪ Calendar consolidation to reduce shopfloor disruption
▪ Evidence reuse for UFLPA and CSDDD files

Brands that move best-performing factories to WRAP Platinum (2-year validity) and combine remaining audits typically take 30-50% of audit days out of the calendar without weakening the standard or the evidence file.

WHICH SCHEME, WHEN

WRAP vs amfori BSCI vs Sedex SMETA

WRAP, BSCI and SMETA all cover ILO-aligned social standards, but they answer different buyer expectations. Use this view to decide which scheme to run first — and where to combine.

Dimension	WRAP	amfori BSCI	Sedex SMETA
Type	Certification	Monitoring system + audit	Audit methodology
Scope	Apparel, footwear, sewn products	All industries	All industries
Strongest in	North American retail	European retail	UK, EU and global retail
Output	Platinum / Gold / Silver certificate	A-E rating	SMETA audit report
Validity	2 yr / 1 yr / 6 mo by level	2 yr (A/B), 1 yr (C/D/E)	Report 1 yr; many buyers refresh annually
Best used as	Industry-specific badge for apparel/footwear sourcing	Pan-supplier baseline for European programs	Flexible 2- or 4-pillar audit accepted by many buyers

Bureau Veritas runs all three. Where buyers allow, we scope a single on-site visit that produces a WRAP outcome plus a SMETA or BSCI report — taking duplicate audit days out of the calendar without weakening the standard.

BENEFITS

Measurable Outcomes from Bureau Veritas WRAP Certification

Faster Buyer Approval

WRAP certification is recognized by major North American retailers and global brands, accelerating supplier onboarding and reducing buyer due diligence timelines.

Fewer Audit Requests

One WRAP certification satisfies multiple buyer social-compliance requirements, reducing the number of audits each facility must absorb each year and lowering total compliance spend.

Competitive Sourcing Position

A Platinum or Gold WRAP outcome differentiates your facilities in competitive bids, signalling sustained commitment to ethical manufacturing — not a one-off audit pass.

Brand Reputation Protection

Third-party verification of labor practices, workplace conditions and environmental responsibility helps protect your brand from reputational risk linked to supplier violations.

Platinum-Track Efficiency

Lifting top factories to Platinum (2-year validity) reduces re-audit frequency by half compared with annual Gold cycles, freeing time and cost for higher-risk sites.

Regulatory Evidence

WRAP audit records support US UFLPA due diligence, EU CSDDD value-chain risk assessments, German LkSG reporting and customer codes — one evidence file, multiple uses.

WHY BUREAU VERITAS

Why Choose Bureau Veritas as Your WRAP Monitoring Organization?

35+

Years in Social Compliance

12K+

Specialists Worldwide

100K+

Audits Conducted Annually

140+

Countries Covered

Bureau Veritas is an approved WRAP monitoring organization and a leading provider of testing, inspection and certification services to the global apparel and footwear industries. Our network of trained WRAP auditors brings deep industry knowledge and local presence to every assessment — helping facilities reach the right certification level efficiently and hold it through the cycle.

We combine technical rigor with practical corrective-action support, so facilities do more than pass audits — they build stronger management systems, close repeat findings, and lower their year-on-year compliance spend. Our clients include leading apparel brands, footwear manufacturers and sewn-products facilities who rely on Bureau Veritas for audit quality, responsive service and industry-specific knowledge.

Beyond WRAP, Bureau Veritas runs a full suite of social-compliance services — amfori BSCI, Sedex SMETA, SA8000 and customer-code audits, plus CSDDD and UFLPA readiness — so brands can consolidate compliance work with a single partner.

FREQUENTLY ASKED

WRAP Certification: Common Questions

What is WRAP certification?

WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production) is an independent, non-profit social-compliance program built for apparel, footwear and sewn-products manufacturing. Facilities are audited against 12 Principles covering labor, workplace conditions, environment, customs and security. Bureau Veritas is an approved WRAP monitoring organization.

What are the WRAP certification levels and how long are they valid?

Platinum — 2 years, awarded after 3 consecutive full-compliance audits with no corrective actions. Gold — 1 year, the standard level for full compliance. Silver — 6 months, for substantial compliance with minor non-compliances to close; maximum 3 consecutive Silver certificates.

How is WRAP different from amfori BSCI and Sedex SMETA?

WRAP is industry-specific to apparel, footwear and sewn products, and the most widely recognized scheme by North American retailers. BSCI is sector-agnostic and dominant in European sourcing. SMETA is an audit methodology used by many UK, European and global retailers. Many brands run WRAP plus one of the others to satisfy buyer requirements across regions.

How long does a WRAP audit take and what does it cover?

A typical WRAP audit takes 1 to 3 days on site depending on facility size and complexity, covering document review, facility walkthroughs, confidential worker interviews, management interviews and on-site verification across all 12 Principles. Bureau Veritas auditors flag overlap with BSCI, SMETA and customer codes so evidence can be reused.

Are WRAP-certified facilities subject to unannounced visits?

Yes. All WRAP-certified facilities are subject to random, unannounced post-certification assessments (PCAs) during their certification period. Facilities that fall out of compliance may be decertified.

Does WRAP help with US UFLPA and EU CSDDD compliance?

WRAP findings on forced labor, child labor, working hours and customs compliance feed directly into US UFLPA due-diligence files and EU CSDDD value-chain risk assessments. WRAP is not a legal safe harbor, but its audit record and corrective-action plans are accepted as supporting evidence by most retailers and brands.