Perform a Verified InCheck Level 1 OR Level 2

Version 1 - Last updated 24 Sep 2025

The Verified InCheck aims to establish credibility of the Performance InCheck Report through the on-site verification of a supplier’s chemical inventory (uploaded by the supplier in order to generate a Performance InCheck Report).

It enhances trust and confidence in the supplier’s Performance InCheck Reports. This on-site verification can be done by a ZDHC Approved (second or third-party) InCheck Reviewer.

The Verified InCheck has two confidence Levels 1 and 2.

Verified InCheck Level 1

Verified InCheck Level 1 is completed through a random on-site spot check of the chemical inventory by a ZDHC Approved InCheck Reviewer (either second-party or third-party).

It is not a line-by-line verification but a random review of a facility's chemical inventory based on a ‘spot check protocol’ developed by ZDHC.

The ZDHC Approved InCheck Reviewer conducts the on-site verification and upon successful completion, issues a report that adds a 'check mark' for Verified InCheck Level 1 to the supplier’s profile in the ZDHC Gateway.

This Verified InCheck Level 1 check mark in the supplier’s profile on the ZDHC Gateway increases the confidence of Signatory Brands in the supplier's Performance InCheck Reports.

A supplier should successfully conduct the Verified InCheck Level 1 once a calendar year.

Verified InCheck Level 1 Report template

Verification process

The Verified InCheck Level 1 is an on-site review carried out by a ZDHC Approved InCheck Reviewer, who is either:

A third-party organisation OR
A second-party organisation, such as a brand, which can conduct verification exclusively for its own supply chain.

The Verified InCheck – Level 1 is done through the following actions:

Complete three reports: A supplier generates at least three consecutive Performance InCheck Reports (these must be made with the same inventory type) through a ZDHC Approved Performance InCheck Provider listed on the ZDHC Find Your Expert website.
Engage with reviewer: The supplier contacts and engages a ZDHC Approved InCheck Reviewer to conduct the Verified InCheck Level 1 on-site verification.
Announce visit: The ZDHC Approved InCheck Reviewer announces an on-site visit to the supplier’s facility and conducts the verification process with the ZDHC On-Site App, which generates the Verified InCheck Level 1 Report.
Mark formulations: The verification involves marking each selected chemical formulation as either “found” or “not found” on-site.
The results: The verification is ‘successful’ if the total score for the spot check parameters is 80% or higher (≥ 80%). While it is ‘unsuccessful’ if the total score is lower than 80% (< 80%).
- Unsuccessful: If the verification is unsuccessful the supplier should repeat the exercise after generating at least three new consecutive Performance InCheck Reports.
- Successful: After a successful review, a Verified InCheck Level 1 check mark is assigned to the supplier’s profile in the ZDHC Gateway.
Gateway visibility: Suppliers and brands can view the Verified InCheck Level 1 check mark on the supplier’s profile page. This way, a brand connected to the supplier in the ZDHC Gateway can confirm that the supplier has successfully conducted the Verified InCheck Level 1.

Spot check protocol

The methodology for the on-site review depends on the size (number of chemicals) of the facility’s chemical inventory uploaded for the three consecutive months Performance InCheck Reports.

Before the ZDHC Approved InCheck Reviewer's on-site visit, the supplier must download the chemical inventory details of the past three consecutive months' Performance InCheck Reports from their ZDHC Gateway account and send them to the reviewer.

The verification process of the chemical inventory is of two types:

Type 1 process - This process is used when the chemical inventory is less than 30 chemical products.
Type 2 process - This process is used when the chemical inventory is equal to or greater than 30 chemical products.

Type 1 process

If, over the past three consecutive Performance InCheck Reports, the supplier’s chemical inventory shows fewer than 30 unique chemicals in total, the ZDHC On-Site App will classify the verification process as Type 1.

The On-Site App compiles all chemicals uploaded across the three consecutive reports, removes duplicates and prepares a consolidated chemical list.

If this consolidated list contains less than 30 chemicals, it is classified as a Type 1 process and all listed chemicals must be verified on-site by the reviewer.

Type 1 examples

Assessing the numbers

Before starting a Type 1 inventory check, the reviewer should determine that the actual number of chemicals in the chemical inventory falls into the Type 1 category. This can be done by:

Visiting the chemical store to observe the chemicals stored there.
Checking verbally with the supplier's personnel responsible for generating the Performance InCheck Reports.
Reviewing the history of the chemical inventory maintained by the supplier for the number of chemicals listed.

The reviewer should exclude chemicals that are not within the scope of Performance InCheck.

Based on this, the reviewer should proceed with the on-site verification as Type 1 process.

Discrepancy of numbers

In case the reviewer determines that the supplier’s actual chemical inventory is equal to or greater than 30 chemicals (not as reported), then the reviewer should not proceed with the assessment and the on-site verification will be deemed “unsuccessful”.

The reviewer must provide in the submitted report:

An explanatory comment.
A rough estimate of the actual size of the inventory in the report submitted, stating the reasons for unsuccessful verification.
Evidence uploaded in the On-Site App (if possible).

If the reviewer confirms that the supplier has reported fewer than 30 chemicals in the Performance InCheck Reports, they should proceed with the on-site verification as per the Type 1 process check parameter below.

Type 1 process checklist

1. All chemical products in the inventory details uploaded by a supplier for the Performance InCheck Report are present at the site’s main stores or sub-stores.

Example: If a chemical product is not on-site. In that case, there should be documented proof that it has been used, delivered or in stock in the facility (for usage type inventory) or delivered (for delivery type inventory) for that particular month.

Confirmation Source

Inventory shared by the supplier of each of the past three reports
Main/sub chemical store
Check documents related to the purchase/delivery/use of chemical
Recipe sheets in the production department

1 chemical = 1 point

Total % Score = (total confirmed/total points) x 100

Type 2 process

The On-Site App compiles all chemicals uploaded across the three consecutive reports, removes duplicates and prepares a consolidated chemical list. If this consolidated list contains 30 or more chemicals, the verification process is classified as a Type 2 process.

The process of selecting chemical products to check is different from the Type 1 process. Instead of verifying all listed chemicals, the ZDHC Approved InCheck Reviewer will follow a checklist during a walk-through at the facility. This assesses and evaluates the accuracy of a supplier's chemical inventory uploaded for Performance InCheck Reports. The spot check (30 chemical products) randomly confirms the chemical products uploaded by the supplier over the past three Performance InCheck Reports.

The Type 2 process is completed by applying the check parameters below.

Type 2 process checklist

1. Any 10 random chemical products selected from the inventory details uploaded by a supplier for the Performance InCheck Report for the past three reports and selected by the ZDHC On-Site App are present at the site's main stores or sub-stores.

Example: If a chemical product is not in stock/on-site. In that case, there should be documented proof that it has been used (for usage-type inventory) or delivered (for delivery-type inventory) for those months.

Confirmation source

Inventory shared by the supplier for Performance Incheck Reports
Main/sub chemical store
Documents related to the purchase/ delivery/use of chemical
Recipe sheets in the production department

Points: 10

2. Any five chemicals (other than commodity and sundry chemicals) observed during a facility walkthrough or review of chemical-related documents are listed in the supplier’s inventory uploads.

(If the selected chemical products are not relating to the three months' Performance InChecks provided by the supplier, the reviewer should select an alternative chemicals during the walkthrough.)

Confirmation source

Walkthrough of the chemical stores, sub stores, effluent treatment plant and/or check the safety data sheet/incoming chemical test report.

Points: 5

3. Any five chemicals (other than commodity and sundry chemicals) from purchase orders/ supplier contracts/ bill of delivery periods of the three reports are listed in the supplier’s inventory uploads for the past three months for Performance InCheck Reports.

Confirmation source

Check the purchase orders, supplier contracts or bill of delivery at the purchase/ stores department.

Points: 5

4. Any five chemicals (other than commodity and sundry chemicals) identified from recipe sheets from the production department are listed in the supplier’s inventory uploads during the timeframe of the three reports.

Confirmation source

Check recipe sheet(s) at the production department.

Points: 5

5. Any five chemical products (other than commodity and sundry chemicals) identified from the facility’s chemical inventory records for one particular month under consideration for the Performance InCheck Report are listed in the inventory uploaded by the supplier for that month.

Confirmation source

Check the ERP system/ register/ chemical ledger in the purchase or stores department.

Points: 5

Total points: 30

% score: (X/30 x100)

Outcome

Successful

The Verified InCheck Level 1 outcome is successful if:

Type 1 process: The number of chemicals on-site is less than 30, and the review score for these chemicals is ≥ 80% in the on-site verification.
Type 2 process: The review score for the number of chemicals verified is ≥ 80%.

Actions

ZDHC's On-Site App generates the Verified InCheck Level 1 Report automatically when the reviewer completes the Verified InCheck Level 1 project.
The report is available to the ZDHC Approved InCheck Reviewer and if the report outcome is successful, the Verified InCheck Level 1 check mark is assigned to the supplier’s account on the ZDHC Gateway.

Unsuccessful

The Verified InCheck Level 1 outcome is unsuccessful if:

Type 1 process
- If the reviewer observes that the actual number of chemicals on-site is more than the threshold of 29 chemicals reported for the Performance InCheck Reports.
- The reviewer confirms that the actual number of chemicals on-site is less than the threshold of 30 chemicals reported for the Performance InCheck Reports, but the review score for the number of chemicals verified is < 80%.

Type 2 process: The review score for the number of chemicals verified is < 80%.

In all cases, the supplier should repeat the Verified InCheck Level 1 exercise after generating at least three new consecutive Performance InCheck Reports.

Frequency of verification

In all cases, the supplier should repeat the Verified InCheck Level 1 exercise after generating at least three new consecutive Performance InCheck Reports.

Suppliers should undertake the Verified InCheck Level 1 process annually. The Verified InCheck Level 1 logo on the ZDHC Gateway supplier’s profile will remain visible for 12 months.

After 12 months, the logo will disappear unless the supplier follows the Verified InCheck Level 1 process again.

Verified InCheck Level 2

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Objective

The Verified Incheck Level 2 is also an on-site verification by a third-party verifier of a supplier's chemical inventory. It is a more in-depth verification than the ‘spot checks’ at Verified InCheck Level 1. It establishes a higher confidence level in the transparency and credibility of the Performance InCheck Reports generated by a supplier. The validation covers the inventory at a supplier over a more extended period (one year) and not just a snapshot of one month of delivery or usage type.

The objective is to:

Reflect the ‘reality of production’ at a supplier over a period of time by verifying all chemicals^* purchased (and hence used) for different substrates and processes at the supplier over one year.
Help suppliers initiate long-term plans for improving ZDHC MRSL conformance in their input formulations, using the Verified InCheck Level 2 inventory as a “baseline inventory.”

Outcome

When preparing the verified inventory, a random comparison is made of any three Performance InCheck Reports generated by the supplier during the assessment year with the corresponding verified inventory for those months. If >80% of the self-uploaded inventory for the Performance Incheck Reports tallies with those months’ verified inventory prepared by the reviewer, then the Verified InCheck Level 2 is deemed successful.

The outcome is a check mark for Verified Level 2 in the supplier account in the ZDHC Gateway to authenticate the completion of the Verified Level 2 exercise.

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