Sunday / May 29. 2022
menu-logo menu-logo
brand-logo
Subscribe
Subscribe
Sunday / May 29. 2022
  • Read
    • Daily News
      • Financial
      • Insights
      • U.S.
      • International
    • Cover Stories
    • Feature Articles
    • Company Spotlights
    • Exclusive Interviews
    • Executive Announcements
    • Forward Thinking
    • New Perspectives
    • Working Smart
    • From the Publisher
    • Digital Issue
  • Listen & Watch
    • Direct Approach
    • Iconic Insights
    • The DSN Podcast
  • Attend
    • Direct Selling University
    • Global Celebration
  • Achieve
    • Global 100 List
    • CCR Program
    • Best Places to Work
    • Bravo Awards
    • Legends
  • Join
    • Membership
    • VIP Community
  • Research
    • Digital Momentum Index
    • Stock Watch
    • Stock Ticker
    • Supplier Directory
    • Resources
  • About
    • About DSN
    • Subscribe
    • Advertise
    • Store
    • Connect
  • Search
Subscribe

Seldia Briefing: Direct Selling, the First Sector in Europe with an Ombudsman

BY DSN Staff | September 01, 2011 | read / Daily News

SeldiaOn 11 May 2011, the Direct Selling sector became the first sector in Europe with a true European Ombudsman, or mediator. On that date, Seldia, the European Direct Selling Association, appointed a mediator, Professor Jules Stuyck, to deal with complaints of consumers who would otherwise have nowhere to go due to the potential international aspects of their transactions.

Maurits Bruggin, Seldia Executive Director“We are very pleased with the forward looking approach of our 27 member associations,” says Seldia Executive Director Maurits Bruggink. “Ethical trading has always been a top priority for our industry, but the appointment of a European mediator has given our policy some teeth. It will guarantee European consumers a dispute resolution service for every transaction. This will become even more important with the further development of a European Single Market for direct selling, which will lead to more transactions with a cross-border dimension.”

The consumer is advised always to address complaints first with the company involved, then with the local direct selling association (DSA). However, this may not always be possible, for example when a company is not a member of the local DSA. In such case, if a consumer cannot solve the complaint with the company, they could address it to the Seldia mediator. The mediator would deal with the complaint if the company is either a member of Seldia or a member of any national DSA that is a member of Seldia.

“We also offer dispute resolution to the other parties in direct selling transactions: direct sellers, direct selling organisations, DSAs and even consumer groups,” explains Maurits. “We have seen instances in the past where a company or distributor was acting in a country without respect of the Seldia Code of Ethics and by doing so, was harming the sector as a whole in that country. Our mediator service is where a local DSA can submit a complaint against such company. The Seldia mediator will pick up this complaint and address this with the company involved.”

The European mediator will not only deal with complaints, but also promote the implementation of the code by DSAs and companies and make consumers across Europe aware of the rights that the Code gives them and how they should address complaints. “For example, we must educate companies, also the smaller ones, to appoint a ‘code responsibility officer’ to deal with complaints,” continues Maurits. “At an industry conference I attended earlier this year, the obligation to appoint such person seemed to be rather unknown to many companies! We must also make sure that national mediators do not only exist as a name on the website of a local DSA, but are actually working effectively.”

The new Seldia website, http://www.seldia.eu, dedicates a whole section to the subject of ethics, which informs the European consumer what to do in case of a complaint and offers direct access to the European mediator. Prof. Jules Stuyck will speak on September 21 at the Seldia Annual Round Table Meeting on Direct Selling in Warsaw on the subject of self-regulation.

Posted in Daily News
Related Articles
Designing with Generations in Mind Prevents Brands from Becoming “Niche Players”  May 27, 2022

Designing with Generations in Mind Prevents Brands from Becoming “Niche Players” 

Read more
NewAge’s Nutrifii Renew Added to Cologne List  May 26, 2022

NewAge’s Nutrifii Renew Added to Cologne List 

Read more
Nu Skin Joins Sustainability-Focused Consortium to Improve Industry Standards  May 25, 2022

Nu Skin Joins Sustainability-Focused Consortium to Improve Industry Standards 

Read more
brand-logo
The News You Need.
The Name You Trust.
Subscribe

Breaking global news, emerging trends and powerful stories conveniently curated to help direct selling executives stay informed, engaged and a step ahead.

  • Read
  • Listen & Watch
  • Attend
  • Achieve
  • Research
  • About
  • Connect
5800 Democracy Drive
Suite 100
Plano, Texas 75024
info@directsellingnews.com
Copyright 2022 Direct Selling News | All Rights Reserved
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT