Assent’s Experts Weigh In The regulatory landscape is constantly evolving, and 2022 will be no exception. With investors and customers adding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) expectations into the equation, it can be more than a full time job to keep up. To get a sense of what manufacturing professionals need to keep on their radars, we asked three of Assent’s regulatory and sustainability experts for their 2022 predictions. Neil Smith: “PFAS Are Going to Be the Big Target in Product Compliance.” Neil Smith, Manager, Compliance & Regulatory I expect that perfluoroalkyl and poly ..read more

The first of two biannual updates to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation was issued on January 17, expanding the Candidate List of substances of very high concern (SVHCs) with four new substances. Companies manufacturing, importing, or distributing in the EU have a duty to communicate the presence of any listed SVHC above the 0.1 percent weight over weight (w/w) threshold to downstream consumers. Substances on the Candidate List may be selected for further restriction by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). New SVHCs The four new SVHCs ..read more

A recent Oeko-Institut study of nine exemption extension requests under the EU Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive may bring significant changes to the RoHS compliance landscape. The resulting Pack 22 recommendations primarily focus on the use of lead in the manufacture of in-scope products. The exemptions received extensions of either three or five years, or a timeline for phase-out. Additionally, the report recommended, wherever appropriate, removal of by-category expiry dates and simplification with a cross-category deadline. Study Findings The current review considered 16 ..read more

Since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced tough new restrictions under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the new rules prohibiting the use of known persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) substances have companies scrambling for information. With steep penalties for TSCA violations, including major fines and loss of American market access, non-compliance is not an option. We asked renowned EPA experts, Lynn Bergeson and Christopher Blunck, what companies need to know as they ramp up their TSCA compliance programs. Lynn L. Bergeson is the Managing Partner of Ber ..read more

Assent’s purpose is to drive deep supply chain transparency and help manufacturers win more market share with stronger ethical and environmental best practices. Year after year, I am reminded of the importance of our mission when I see the extensive growth in global sustainability regulations, and when business leaders and our customers tell me how vital supply chain data and ESG performance evidence is to them. This year, that message came in loud and clear: we recently earned the rare distinction of “unicorn” status, which is given to startups with a valuation of more than $1 billion USD. As ..read more

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, Jan. 6, 2022 – Assent Compliance Inc. (Assent), a leader in supply chain sustainability management, announced today that it has raised $350 million USD in funding led by Vista Equity Partners (Vista), the leading global investment firm focused exclusively on enterprise software, data and technology-enabled businesses. This is one of the largest raises in Canadian software company history and establishes Assent in unicorn status, valued at more than $1 billion. The fundraise follows a year of tremendous growth for Assent, which has expanded its global workforce by 35% and annua ..read more

A coordinated European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) investigation of almost 6,000 products purchased online found the vast majority were non-compliant with requirements under key chemical management regulations. The inspections, conducted by the ECHA Enforcement Forum, resulted in over 5,000 enforcement actions, including orders to pull from the market and re-labeling requirements. The investigation tested products against their requirements under a number of regulations, including the: Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation — (EC) No 1907/2006. Cl ..read more

On October 20, 2021, the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) published the new Extended Minerals Reporting Template (EMRT), and it has already received its first update. This new template provides manufacturers with a standardized approach to collecting due diligence information related to where and how minerals in their supply chain are extracted. It also empowers them to make responsible decisions about mineral sourcing by providing the information necessary to identify risks of forced labor and other unethical business practices. The EMRT specifically addresses cobalt and mica as minerals ..read more

On November 11, 2021, Assent Compliance, the global leader in supply chain data management and transparency, announced that one of its subject matter experts (SMEs), Abiola Okpechi, PhD, has been named as co-chair for the Social Responsibility Alliance (SRA), a global organization dedicated to helping companies build socially responsible supply chains through the collection of sourcing data. Abiola is Assent’s Business and Human Rights SME and will serve alongside Elaine Mitchel-Hill, Business and Human Rights Director at Marshalls Plc, a UK-based manufacturer of natural stone and concrete har ..read more

“Articles are manufactured goods or finished products — and the chemicals in them are subject to [the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)].” So says Michal Freedhoff, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chemicals Chief. She made the statement during prepared remarks to the Product Stewardship Society as a keynote speaker for their annual meeting in September. It signals what experts, including myself, have been saying for months: the EPA is moving toward greater regulation of finished products under TSCA. It’s important to note that this isn’t a change in legislation, only in its applica ..read more