Overt and covert visits to vendors to confirm they are in compliance with agreed standards (examples of this category are underage workers, environmental standards violations and unsafe working conditions). Such operations can confirm activities such as kickbacks, conflicts of interest, or violations of company ethics policy.

These types of operations are designed to preclude potential negative publicity and subsequent consumer activism, resulting from the unethical practices of these subcontractors, which has happened to numerous brands manufacturing their products in Asia.