Fair Trading Commission launches its Voluntary Compliance Programme |19 July 2019
One of the presentations during the launch yesterday
The Fair Trading Commission has launched its Voluntary Compliance Programme.
The first of its kind by the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) its aim is to create a culture of compliance within businesses themselves to improve their trade practices.
The deputy chief executive of the FTC, Natalie Edmond, launched the programme and this was in the presence of representatives of the Public Health Authority, several retailers and wholesalers as well as employees of the FTC who had gathered at the Seychelles Trading Company’s conference room.
While the FTC has over the years ensured compliance to the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) through different means namely enforcement, education and awareness campaign, through the media, to coincide with its 10th anniversary this year, the FTC has initiated the Voluntary Compliance Programme in its continued effort to be more proactive and engage more with businesses to encourage good trading practices, fair competition and compliance.
“The aim is to bring about more behavioural change among businesses which consequently would lead to greater benefits not only for consumers but for the businesses themselves as well as the fair competition process,” Ms Edmond stated.
The Voluntary Compliance Programme concept is an internal system or process adopted by a business to identify and reduce risks of consumer protection and fair competition laws, remedy any breach that may occur and create a culture of compliance within the business. But joining the compliance programme will not in any way give immunity from investigations or prosecutions should there be serious breaches of the consumer protection laws.
The different businesses present at the launch meeting all received a compliance programme enrolment form and information booklet.
Elza Robert, an analyst in the market surveillance department of the FTC, said if the businesses agree to enroll and start setting up their compliance programme by firstly appointing a compliance officer to set up their management system, the FTC will assist them with training for their staff, give them advice with regard to advertising and promotion and other related matters.
Those present listened to different presentations related to consumer protection and compliance.
Several of the businesses presents affirmed the programme is a good initiative and they would take some time to study the information booklet before deciding on enrolment.