Know the Factory Behind Your Order.
Supplier checks in China, with clear reporting and UK oversight. We help you understand who you are buying from, how production is organised and what evidence supports your sourcing decisions.
Checks in China
Direct supplier engagement and local checks around the needs of your project.
Clear Evidence
Understand what was reviewed, what the findings mean and what needs further attention.
UK Accountability
A UK contact who can discuss findings and coordinate questions with the team in China.
Checks That Fit Your Sourcing Requirements
Different purchasing decisions need different evidence. We select checks around your supplier, product and requirements, and agree additional assessment work where needed.
Supplier Verification
Understand the business and manufacturing arrangements behind your order. Checks can cover company identity, business background, the factory and the production activities relevant to your project.
Quality Control
Check products against agreed specifications. We coordinate sampling, approvals and appropriate production or shipment checks, helping identify quality issues while there is still an opportunity to address them.
Ethical Assessments
Where you need documented visibility into working conditions and responsible business practices, we can commission a structured assessment of the manufacturing site, with the scope and reporting agreed beforehand.
What an Ethical Assessment Can Cover
A commissioned assessment can combine workplace observations, sampled records and private worker discussions. The scope and reporting requirements are agreed for your project.
Factory Identity & Management
Company registration, the assessed site, manufacturing activities and the people responsible for employment, safety and operations.
Employment & Worker Protection
Employment arrangements, age verification, fair treatment, freedom to leave employment and routes for workers to raise concerns.
Pay, Hours & Benefits
Sampled contracts, wage and payment records, attendance, rest arrangements, overtime and relevant employee benefit records.
Workplace Health & Safety
Production areas, machine safeguards, fire precautions, protective equipment, chemical handling and worker welfare arrangements.
Environmental Controls
Relevant permissions and available records, alongside observations of waste handling, storage and environmental controls at the site.
Business Conduct & Records
Relevant ethical policies, management explanations and the consistency of records reviewed during the assessment.
A Report You Can Use
A commissioned Supplier Ethical Assessment provides a structured record to support your internal review and supplier approval discussions.
What Your Report Covers
- The assessed company, site and assessment date
- The activities and topics within scope
- The evidence reviewed and the basis for findings
- Concerns, evidence gaps or areas requiring attention
- Sampling limitations and exclusions
- Recommended actions and future review points
Evidence You Can Discuss
Our UK team reviews the assessment findings and can discuss what they mean for your sourcing decision, coordinating further questions with the team in China.
Supporting records are retained separately. Further evidence can be reviewed where appropriate, subject to confidentiality and personal data requirements.
Findings relate to the site, activities, assessment period and evidence recorded in the report.
From Factory Checks to Informed Decisions
For a commissioned ethical assessment, we agree the process around your requirements.
1. Agree the Scope
Identify the site, assessment topics and reporting needs, including any specific customer approval or audit requirements.
2. Gather the Evidence
Arrange the agreed site work, document review and discussions, distinguishing management statements from evidence checked.
3. Review & Next Steps
Complete UK management review, issue the report and discuss the findings. Agree further evidence, corrective action or follow-up where required.
Your Questions, Answered
Does every supplier receive a full ethical assessment report?
No. Relevant supplier checks form part of our sourcing work, with the scope depending on the project. A formal ethical assessment and report are commissioned where required and may involve additional site work or evidence review.
Does this replace a SMETA or amfori BSCI audit?
Our assessments are commissioned and managed by Trading Bridge. They are not SMETA or amfori BSCI audits or an accredited certification scheme. If your organisation or customer requires a particular audit, that requirement must be addressed separately unless the buyer expressly accepts an alternative.
Does an ethical assessment confirm product quality or compliance?
Product quality checks and ethical assessments address different questions. Quality checks review products against agreed requirements; ethical assessments review workplace and management practices within scope. Product testing and regulatory compliance require their own appropriate evidence.
What happens if an assessment raises a concern?
We discuss the finding and its implications with you, then agree the next steps. Depending on the issue, these may include further evidence, corrective action, a follow-up assessment or reconsidering the supplier.
Need More Confidence in Your Supply Chain?
Tell us what you are sourcing and what your business needs to verify. We will discuss the supplier checks, quality oversight and reporting appropriate to your project.
Best suited for UK decision-makers placing repeat orders (£3k+).