Best Of #4 Solar Test Provider: FEBEA Mutualizes Audits

FEBEA, the French federation for beauty companies, mutualizes audits of test providers for the effectiveness of sun protection products.

In 2016, to respond to the publication of articles in the media on the effectiveness of solar products, FEBEA brought together several of its members to work on the defense of these products in order to put an end to the controversies. The objective was to verify and demonstrate that the test laboratories that measure the effectiveness of sun protection products carry out controls effectively while respecting the various standards in force.

FEBEA has therefore created a steering committee, made up of 7 member companies, 2 auditors and 3 laboratories to meet this need and co-construct an audit grid.

For two years, the federation built and led a test phase during which three in vivo test laboratory audits and one in vitro test laboratory audit were carried out.

The in vivo and in vitro audit grids are based on the standards in force making it possible to cover all geographical areas of the world. They are divided into two parts, an audit process part and an audit test monitoring part. The audit process part includes several items such as Quality Management System in the Investigation Center, Responsibilities, authorities, means, Premises and facilities,  Customers relationship, Documentation and traceability system, Trial realization,  Investigational Products and Standard,  and Adverse events and emergency. The audit test monitoring part includes the application of the standards and the results of the various tests.

How does it work?

Members propose (under anonymity managed by Febea) the laboratories they wish to audit and the standards for each of them. The audit is carried out as soon as at least two members are interested in the same laboratory. The Auditors are recognized and qualified by the Shared audits service for this type of audit. The companies then share the costs. They receive the final audit report 50 days after the audit.

It is the steering committee that defines the operating rules of the service, ensuring its improvement as needed. In particular, it supervises the updating of the audit grids according to the revisions of the standards.

Confidentiality is absolute since a contract is signed between the FEBEA and each of the parties: members of the service, Auditors and audited laboratories.

The Shared audit service is managed by SOGESCO, the exclusive commercial subsidiary of FEBEA.

 

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