The program provides an industry-standard grading methodology that includes a facility inspection and process assessment by an independent, trained third party auditor. This provides an unbiased, professional review of warehousing practices compared to industry standards. Certification is based on audits using the WERC “Warehousing & Fulfillment Process Benchmark & Best Practices Guide.” The guideoutlines five levels of warehouse process competencies ranging from poor to best practice and covers the common warehousing processes. Audits are comprehensive, yet recognize differences in industry requirements.
WERC Certification is complementary to any quality system, such as the ISO 9000 series. This certification is an optional service WERC offers its members and the industry. The standards allow for differences in industry, customers, restrictions and product characteristics and requirements. This program helps identify areas for improvement. There is a minimum time commitment, however scheduling is flexible. Facilities receive a complete report of the audit results and are awarded a certificate and plaque as a “WERC Certified Facility.”
“This offers a significant advantage over ISO type certifications that simply audit that a process is performed,” said Kate Vitasek, founder of Supply Chain Visions.. “WERC Certification also goes beyond benchmarking studies that focus solely on quantitative metrics such as fill rate, on-time shipments or inventory accuracy. WERC’s qualitative approach provides a holistic comprehensive review and an audit based on industry standards vetted by industry pros.”
