Responsible Manufacturer Benchmark - OSU / North Willamette ResearchExtension Center

By CommonShare

Founded more than 150 years ago, Oregon State University's North Willamette Research & Extension Center (NWREC) is a trusted partner serving Oregonians statewide. NWREC, a part of the OSU Extension Service, delivers research-based knowledge and education that strengthens communities, economies, and natural resources while promoting healthy people and families. With operations in all 36 counties and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, NWREC offers a wide range of core products and services aimed at empowering Oregon State students to make a positive impact in their communities and beyond.

NWREC's industry position as a leading research and extension center in Oregon is solidified by its 11 Agricultural Experiment Stations and Forest Research Laboratory, which address critical issues across landscapes, oceans, and food systems. The center's key differentiators lie in its world-class faculty, innovative approaches to managing forest resources and ecosystems, and hands-on learning experiences at locations like the coastal research center in Newport. Notable achievements include advancing research in critical areas such as climate science, robotics, clean energy, and biotechnology, positioning NWREC as the most innovative university in the state of Oregon.

With a strong emphasis on community impact and sustainability, NWREC's target markets include Oregonians from diverse backgrounds seeking to enhance their skills and knowledge to succeed in the workforce. The center's customer base ranges from students pursuing higher education to professionals seeking professional development opportunities. NWREC's mission and values revolve around providing attainable and accessible education to all individuals, allowing them to shape their identities and values while becoming who they aspire to be. As NWREC continues to drive big discoveries that lead to big solutions, its strategic direction focuses on further strengthening its research capabilities and expanding its reach to continue serving the needs of Oregonians statewide.

Overall Rating

1.0

Under-Performing

Traceability

An increasingly important factor in global supply chains, traceability assesses the manufacturer's capability to track products and materials from origin to delivery. The Sustainable Manufacturers Benchmark® explores this through the lens of tiered supplier verification, culminating in end-to-end traceability with real-time monitoring and complete transparency.

Digitized Products

The digital landscape has transformed B2B interactions. This facet assesses the extent to which manufacturers have digitized their product offerings. The spectrum ranges from manufacturers without any online product catalog to those boasting advanced B2B e-commerce platforms, providing clients with order customization, real-time tracking, and an integrated view of the supply chain.

Preferred Materials

This aspect gauges the extent to which manufacturers incorporate sustainable, circular, and regenerative materials in their supply chain. It assesses whether companies merely use standard materials or whether they actively prioritize sustainable and preferred materials in their product range, even going so far as to offer digital verification of material certificates.

Facility Verification and Services

This dimension evaluates the openness and commitment of manufacturers regarding their facility's conditions and services. It covers a spectrum, from providing no facility details at all to showcasing comprehensive third-party audits, ensuring transparency in worker welfare and showcasing a clear commitment to maintaining top-tier facility services.

Readiness to Contract

Before entering a partnership, it's pivotal to understand a manufacturer's business legitimacy. The Sustainable Manufacturers Benchmark® checks for the presence and verification of essential documents, ranging from basic business licenses to comprehensive documentation, client testimonials, and even third-party attestations that verify a manufacturer's reliability and readiness to contract.

OSU / North Willamette ResearchExtension Center

United States

Learn More About This Company

How our Responsible Manufacturer Benchmark® Works?

By CommonShare

The Responsible Manufacturer Benchmark is a comprehensive framework designed to evaluate and rate manufacturers based on their commitment to sustainability, digital integration, readiness for contracting, material sourcing, and facility standards. It provides a clear, standardized metric for assessing manufacturers in a B2B environment, helping businesses make informed decisions aligned with their sustainability objectives. The benchmark covers crucial areas like end-to-end traceability, the digital verification of supply tiers, utilization of preferred materials, and verified social audits for facilities. By incorporating both depth and granularity across its criteria, the benchmark not only promotes transparency but also encourages continuous improvement in responsible manufacturing practices.