TÜV Rheinland said it was qualified “to neutrally and independently audit companies' compliance with” the Ethical Toy Program (IETP).
The IETP program is run by the International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI) and is aimed to ensure the makers of toy products comply with standards around occupational safety, exclusion of child labor and all forms of modern slavery, and compliance with environmental regulations.
To become part of the program, TÜV Rheinland had to undergo a qualification process that included scrutinizing the quality of TÜV Rheinland’s audits and the company’s own compliance systems.
TÜV Rheinland said it expected its audits of supplier companies in the toy industry to be primarily in China and Southeast Asia.
In a statement, the company said: “Compliance with social and environmental standards in the supply chain is becoming increasingly important, not least due to legal requirements. By getting certified according to the standards of the IETP, suppliers can show their customers that they reliably comply with the required social and environmental standards.”