Epson Production Facility Achieves Platinum Recognition In Responsible Business Alliance Audit

Epson’s production facility in Thailand has achieved Platinum recognition under the Responsible Business Alliance’s Validated Assessment Program, marking the latest in a series of independent audits across the company’s global manufacturing network.

Epson Precision (Thailand) Ltd. (EPTH), which manufactures watches and quartz devices from its base in Chachoengsao province, received the recognition after completing a VAP audit conducted by an RBA-approved independent third-party firm. Platinum is the highest tier of recognition available under the program.

The facility, established in 1988 as an overseas production arm of the Epson Group, achieved a final VAP score of 200 – the minimum threshold for Platinum status. To qualify, a factory must close all Priority, Major and Minor findings identified during the audit process.

What The RBA Audit Covers

The Responsible Business Alliance is the largest industry coalition focused on corporate social responsibility in global supply chains. Founded in 2004 by a group of electronics companies, the organisation now counts more than 150 member companies.

The VAP is one of the RBA’s core programs. It sets standards for on-site compliance verification, with audits independently conducted by third-party firms that have been approved by the RBA. A typical VAP assessment at a single manufacturing facility can take between two and five days, encompassing document reviews, interviews with management and employees and visual site surveys.

Audits assess compliance with the RBA Code of Conduct across four areas: labour practices, health and safety, environmental standards and ethics. Assessors are trained to identify violations including instances of forced labour, and the RBA uses local, native-speaking auditors where possible.

Three Tiers Of Recognition

The RBA operates a tiered recognition system. Platinum requires a minimum VAP score of 200 with all findings closed. Gold requires a minimum score of 180 with all Priority and Major findings closed. Silver requires a minimum score of 160 with all Priority findings closed.

The RBA has stated that the primary value of its on-site compliance audits lies not in the identification of issues at a factory, but in the verified correction of those issues. The recognition program is designed to highlight factories that demonstrate a commitment to closing the gaps identified during the assessment process.

Epson’s Broader Audit Record

EPTH is not the first Epson facility to achieve Platinum status under the VAP. The company has completed successful assessments across production sites in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, China and the Philippines.

Epson’s Indonesian facility, PT. Indonesia Epson Industry, first achieved Platinum status in 2020 and repeated the result in 2023. That site, which manufactures inkjet printers including Epson’s EcoTank range, employed more than 13,000 people as of its most recent assessment.

Epson joined the RBA in April 2019 and has since voluntarily submitted its primary production sites for VAP audits. The audits are not mandatory for member companies but are considered the RBA’s leading standard for on-site compliance verification.

A Focus On Supply Chain Accountability

Akifumi Takei, Executive Officer and General Administrative Manager of the Production Planning Division at Epson, outlined the company’s position on the result.

“Epson remains steadfast in its commitment to uphold the RBA Code of Conduct,” Takei stated. “Our goal is to forge a sustainable and enriching society, and through the RBA’s VAP, we will continue to ensure that Epson products are manufactured with the utmost regard for human rights and environmental sustainability.”

The achievement comes at a time when compliance with labour and social standards in public ICT procurement is a growing factor in tender specifications. Business customers across the electronics sector are increasingly requiring independent evidence of responsible manufacturing practices from their suppliers.

About EPTH

Epson Precision is located in the Gateway City Industrial Estate in Chachoengsao, east of Bangkok. The facility specialises in the manufacturing of crystal parts and optical devices, and also produces mechanical watches, including models for the Orient and Orient Star brands owned by Seiko Epson Corporation.

The site has undergone recent expansion, with Seiko Epson announcing in 2024 that some Orient watch production would be transferred to the Thai facility to increase manufacturing capacity. The company pointed to Thailand’s logistics infrastructure and skilled workforce as factors in the decision.

One of the features of the RBA’s VAP system is its assessment-sharing model. Because many RBA members share common suppliers, a single audit result can be shared across multiple member companies, reducing duplication and cost. The RBA has stated that this sharing saves members and their suppliers millions of dollars each year.

Further information on Epson’s sustainability assessments is available at corporate.epson/en/sustainability/evaluation/.

Last Updated on April 1, 2026 by Nick Ross