Understanding the key CAPA terms used throughout this feature, will make it easier to navigate, understand the CAPA journey effectively - start by reviewing them below.
1. Why these terms matter to you
When an audit or a factory visit at your company turns up a finding, your client needs it fixed, and needs proof that it is fixed. In Retraced, your client turns that finding into an action and assigns it to your company. Every action carries the same fields: who works on it, what needs fixing, how urgent it is, when it is due, and where it stands. Once you know what each of these terms means, you can open any action and see straight away what is expected of you.
2. Who is involved and what your part is
Every action has roles on two sides: your side does the work, your client's side reviews and closes it. You find the roles in the details section on the right of each action.
Your side
Role | Who it is | What it means for you |
Responsible company | The company that has to fulfil the action. Usually the company that was audited or visited and has the finding. | This is normally your company. The action is yours to resolve. |
Assignee (shown as Assigned to) | The users who work on the action and fulfil it. | If your name is here, the action appears under CAPA → Actions → Assigned to Me. You can add colleagues to share the work. |
Collaborator | Companies that help on the action, for example by managing it or giving further input. | Add a collaborator when another company needs to contribute. Use the comments to align with them and most importantly with your client prior. |
Your client's side
Role | Who it is | What it means for you |
Reporter | By default, the user who created the action. They review your resolution. | This is the person you work with. Only the reporter can accept your work and mark the action Done, or send it back for changes. |
Creator (shown as Generated by) | The company that created the action. The system fills this in automatically. | Tells you which client the action comes from. |
3. What you are asked to fix
These terms tell you what kind of action you have and where the issue comes from.
Term | What it is | What it means for you |
CAP (Corrective Action Plan) | The plan that holds related issues and their actions. | You can open the plan an action belongs to from the action's details section. |
CA (Corrective Action) | An action that fixes an existing issue. | Show that the issue that was found has been fixed. |
PA (Preventive Action) | An action that prevents future issues. | Show what you have put in place so the issue does not happen again. |
Impact Area | The compliance or sustainability topic the action belongs to. Set by your client. | Use it to group and prioritize related actions. See section "7. Appendix" for an overview of the impact areas. |
Source Type | Where the finding was first documented, for example an audit or a factory visit. | Tells you how the issue was identified. |
Source | The specific record where the finding is documented. | Open it to read the original finding, understand what is expected, and check the full context while you work on the fix. |
Your client may add more details and remarks in the action's Description. Read it together with the source before you start.
4. How urgent it is and by when
Severity and the due date together tell you which action to work on first. This matters most when you have many actions open at once.
Severity shows how urgent an action is and is set by the reporter. There are five levels, from least to most urgent: Minor, Moderate, Major, Critical, Zero Tolerance.
Date | What it is | What it means for you |
Creation date | When the action was created. | Shows how long the action has been open. |
Start date | When work on the action is expected to begin. Set by the reporter. | Plan your internal resources so work can start on this date. |
Due date | When the action should be completed and marked Done. | Your key deadline. Submit your evidence for review early enough that your client can check it before this date. |
End date | When the action was marked Done. | Your record of when the action was closed. |
In the actions overview, filter by severity and due date to see what needs attention first.
5. Where your action stands
The status shows the progress of an action or plan. You move the action from to do to in progress, and submit for review; only the reporter can close it or send it back.
What happens | Who does it | Status afterwards |
You submit your evidence for review | Assignee (You) | In review |
The reporter asks for changes | Reporter (Your client) | Changes requested |
The reporter accepts the remediation | Reporter (Your client) | Done |
If the reporter asks for changes, read their comments, update your evidence, and submit for review again. The action is only complete once the reporter marks it Done.
6. What to do next
Now, work through an assigned action from start to finish:
find it
prioritise it
upload evidence
communicate with your client
submit it for review
ADD LINK
7. Appendix: Impact areas
Your client can tag each action with an impact area. Use this list to see which compliance or sustainability topic an action belongs to. Impact areas are based on the most widely used sustainability standards.
Social
Impact Area | Topics |
Worker Involvement | Workplace Cooperation; Complaint & Grievance System; Freedom of Association & Collective Bargaining (policy or commitment on freedom of association, the right to organize, collective bargaining) |
Employment Practices | Equality & Diversity; Discipline; Working Hours & Overtime; Wages & Benefits; Capacity Building; Vulnerable Groups; General Work Environment; Recruitment, Hiring & Termination Practices; Subcontracting & Homeworker; Child Labor; Contracts & Terms of Employment |
Above & Beyond | Child Care; Accommodation & Dormitories; Canteens; Workers Wellbeing; Community Engagement; Community Impact |
Worker Treatment | Forced Labour; Modern Slavery; Harassment & Abuse; Discrimination; Gender-Based Violence |
Health & Safety | Risk Assessment; Flammable & Combustible Materials; Engagement with OHS; Emergency Preparedness; Chemicals & Hazardous Substances; Materials Handling & Storage; Worker Protection; Safety Warnings; Electrical Safety |
Governance
Impact Area | Topics |
Organisation Profile | Responsible Business Conduct; Worker Demographics; Building & Operating Licenses; Certifications; Structures & Processes; Ownership Structure; Purchasing Practices; Financial Practices; Roles & Responsibilities |
Implementing Sustainability | Management Systems (social and environmental decision-making); Circularity (business models that support clothing longevity and slow down consumption of new clothing, repair services, use of reusable resources, end-of-life plan, durability) |
Due Diligence | Policies & Procedures (policy or commitment on anti-bribery, corruption, presentation of false information); Legal Compliance |
Transparency | Publication of detailed non-financial documents; Publication of a strategic plan towards progressively improving human rights and environmental impacts; Publication of implementation assessments & the remediation process; Publication of a grievance mechanism for workers & employees; Disclosure of how human rights & environmental performance are incorporated in purchasing practices; Disclosure on traced supply chains; Disclosure of cash flows; Disclosure on gender equality progress; Disclosure on racial equality progress; Disclosure on progress towards sustainable sourcing; Disclosure on the progress of using sustainable materials; Disclosure on reducing overconsumption; Disclosure on progress towards zero waste; Disclosure on water footprint; Disclosure on chemical usage; Disclosure on climate change impact; Disclosure on biodiversity impact; Disclosure on progress towards a circular business model |
Environmental
Impact Area | Topics |
General Protection | Environmental Management Systems |
Waste | Production Waste (material cut-off, waste reduction program); Waste Streams (volume and disposal method of hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams); Recycling |
Water | Water Scarcity; Wastewater Management; Ocean Depletion; Water Management System; Water Pollution |
Chemicals | Pollution Prevention |
Climate | GHG Emissions (carbon intensity for Scope 1, 2 and 3; monitoring of GHG emissions; offsetting of GHG emissions and carbon intensity; policy or commitment on GHG emissions; GHG emissions per product); Ozone Depletion Potential; Carbon Offsetting |
Energy | Energy sources |
Soil | Resource Use |
Biodiversity | Land Use |
Animals | Animal Welfare |
Forest | Deforestation Program |
Environmental Data | N/A |
Air | Photochemical Pollution |
Physical Exposure | N/A |
Regulations
Impact Area | Topics |
LkSG | N/A |