Krish Iyer

IRF Certification Scheme

IRF Certification Scheme for Indian retailers launched at India Retail Forum 2015

~Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) developed this scheme adhering to ISO/IEC 17067 Guidelines~

 Developed by PwC, IRF Certification Scheme for retailers operating in India, is first of its kind in the world. The guidelines will cover retail businesses spanning across all retail formats. IRF certification scheme is expected to get over 1 lac consumer facing businesses across the country in to the fold of modern retail following IRF standards in next 5 years.

In a very informative presentation by Shalini Chakravorty, Vice-president – Compliance, Walmart Asia stressed on the best practices which every retailer should aspire for. Adding to it, she further said, “Sustainable measures must be adopted to promote social entrepreneurship and safeguarding the environment. It is imperative for retailers to ensure a collaborative approach with the manufacturers and suppliers to maintain integrity in the retail cycle.”

According to PwC presentation report, “IRF aims to undertake a nationwide campaign to establish the ‘Trusted’ mark as the consumer trust. The IRF Certified retailers will be graded in 5 levels based on applicant’s score achieved during IRF scheme audit. The ‘Trusted’ mark will be displayed ON Product and OFF Product as well. Certification bodies will be required to be accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB).”

Krish Iyer, Chairman IRF 2015 and President & CEO, Walmart India
Krish Iyer, Chairman IRF 2015 and President & CEO, Walmart India

Mr. Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman, Quality Council of India (QCI) expressed his delight towards this initiative and said, “This ‘Trusted’ certification scheme will encourage more and more retailers to be customer centric and move towards the omni channel era.”

Krish Iyer, Chairman IRF 2015 and President & CEO, Walmart India, said, “I would like to facilitate my top 100 retailers to go for this trusted scheme. IRF should set standard benefits for the retailers who are on their committee. Further, IRF should also incorporate FSSAI license for 2-3 years instead of the annual renewal process.”