The company is pursuing QCA Certification to further refine its programs and increase the level of brand protection available to its clients.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (December 6, 2019) – Talk to any marketing executive or procurement professional at major brands and you’ll know that protecting their hard-earned brand equity is paramount—especially when using promotional products.
In order to continue meeting buyer demands for brand safety and responsible sourcing, Franklin, Tennessee-based Blink Marketing has applied to participate in the QCA Distributor Certification Program developed by Quality Certification Alliance (QCA), the only coalition dedicated to ensuring accountability and independent validation of corporate responsibility throughout the promotional product industry’s supply chain.
Built in response to demand from the Advocacy Council, the Distributor Certification Program is designed specifically for the needs of distributors and decorators, allowing them to further their commitment to brand safety and responsible sourcing. It begins with companies completing a thorough self-assessment, which includes a gap analysis to identify process and procedure voids and requires supporting documentation for review by the QCA Compliance Committee.
From there, applicants build upon the self-assessment by developing a comprehensive compliance manual that ensures they have an effective program for detecting and deferring unsafe or non-compliant product before it enters into the supply chain. Upon successful completion of this process, a series of audits are authorized for the company’s headquarters, where corrective action may be required before Certification is granted.
“The building and establishment of a brand is no small endeavor, and all of our clients have high regards for their respective brands,” said Kyle Earing, Blink Marketing’s quality and operations director. “As an extension of our clients’ brand marketing team, Blink takes tremendous responsibility in ensuring the items and the associated supply chain used to elevate our client partner brands do not jeopardize the integrity or equity being established.
“While there are negative pressures placed on every brand that enters the marketplace, our clients have partnered with Blink Marketing due to our unwavering commitment to item quality, regulatory compliance and supply chain safety,” he continued. “Pursuing QCA Certification will help us to further refine our programs and increase the level of brand protection available to our clients. After all, in this age where news travels quickly, we all have a responsibility to do our very best when sourcing items, as it only takes one mistake to permanently damage a brand and significantly tarnish the reputation of an entire industry.”
The QCA Distributor Certification Program works in conjunction with the QCA Accreditation Program for suppliers and is designed to strengthen the relationship between suppliers and distributors/decorators even further.
For more information about QCA’s Distributor Certification Program and to inquire about the process and benefits received, contact participation@qcalliance.org.
About QCA:
Quality Certification Alliance is the only coalition dedicated to ensuring accountability and independent validation of corporate responsibility throughout the promotional product industry’s supply chain. It brings together users of promotional products, distributor advocates, certified distributors and decorators, and accredited suppliers with the mission to elevate the standards by which promotional products firms consistently provide socially compliant, safe, high-quality and environmentally conscientious merchandise.
QCA Accreditation is granted to supplier companies that complete an independent third-party audit and comply with stringent standards, which are based upon a combination of state and national laws, international standards and industry-accepted best practices that are recognized for their strength and effectiveness.
D E (Denise) Fenton serves as executive director – compliance. Lisa Horn, CAS, serves at marketing and editorial director.
For more information about the Quality Certification Alliance, visit qcalliance.org.
Like QCA on Facebook at facebook.com/QCAlliance or follow on Twitter at twitter.com/QCAlliance, LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/quality-certification-alliance or Instagram at instagram.com/QCAlliance.
