Compliance is not a flashy topic in the realm of disposable gloves.
Despite its lofty position as one of four pillars in AIC’s core capabilities—along with fill rates, quality control, and customer service—it may not enjoy the buzz that surrounds the other three.
When was the last time someone walked up and said, “Hey, I really love those compliant gloves”?
We thought so. But the reality is that compliance carries perhaps the most weight as it pertains to health, hygiene, and safety.
Sourcing gloves at scale in a compliant manner creates its own set of challenges. AIC has invested heavily in manpower and in developing systems to make compliance and ethical sourcing centerpieces of its glove program.
In most cases, if you’re buying gloves at any significant volume, it can be difficult to guarantee the gloves are produced under the highest standards. AIC makes sure you can count on that.
We live by adherence to stringent safety and quality criteria. AIC relies on the standards ISO 13485 and 9001 to manage the product quality process.
Gloves must meet standards such as those set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Compliance with these standards is a key component of quality control.
You can’t test too often
The raw materials that go into our gloves are lab tested, and we measure quality parameters on the production line. Our gloves are tested again as finished products to ensure they meet specifications of weight, length, thickness, visual defects, and the ever-important watertight test to determine whether they deliver a dependable barrier.
Compliance with uniform quality standards ensures reliable protection for users across numerous settings. In healthcare environments, the stakes are even higher, making compliance a crucial factor in preventing the spread of infection.
AIC is a member of Sedex, a corporation helping 74,000 global companies create more socially and environmentally sustainable businesses and supply chains. Sedex’s data insights and tools provide full visibility into its members’ businesses, suppliers, and the social and environmental sustainability of their supply chains.
The truth is in the audits
We rely on SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit), the most widely used format for social audits in the world, which enables us to assess our suppliers and better understand working conditions in the companies that produce our gloves.
All of this is a major commitment on our part to create confidence. If we feel good about our supply chain, our clients feel good about their supply chain and products—and that creates exceptional goodwill.
This emphasis on compliance underscores a commitment to safety, quality, and social responsibility. It ensures product reliability, environmental integrity, and ethical conduct, which benefits manufacturers, distributors, and users alike.
