Why hire us for conducting SEDEX/SMETA Audits?

We are an approved auditing company authorized to conduct Sedex Audits.

  • Get SEDEX Quotation within 15 minutes of submission of your inquiry.
  • Our services are globally valid.
  • Not just Sedex 2 Pillar audits but also 4 Pillar audits.
  • We have more than 15 years of experience in the same domain and have highly qualified auditors.
  • Archive 92.6% of SEDEX Quality check.
  • On Time Audit & Report.
  • SEDEX report in 3 working days after the Audit, on your Sedex Advance Portal.
  • Our dedicated and professional programming team is also available to design and customize Sedex Dashboard for clients.
  • Quick response from our back-office.

Get in touch with our team...

Submit your details, and one of our team members will give you a call to discuss your business needs and how we can help.

    captcha

    Sedex is a platform that provides sustainable supply chain solutions to businesses. It offers various benefits, including ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management, risk identification and mitigation, compliance simplification, seamless reporting, and connection with a global community of 75,000 members. Businesses can benefit from Sedex by gaining visibility into their supply chain, complying with laws, preventing financial risks, and protecting their reputation. The platform allows organizations to manage, assess, and report on sustainability practices, ultimately helping them meet their supply chain goals.

    Join 75,000 global Sedex members

    SMETA is a social audit that helps businesses gain visibility into working conditions and environmental performance in their supply chain. By joining SMETA, businesses can improve transparency, promote ethical practices, and access a global network of data from their current suppliers.

    What is SEDEX Audit?

    Sedex stands at the forefront of ethical trade service providers worldwide. Committed to enhancing working conditions in global supply chains, Sedex offers practical tools, services, and a community network to empower companies in adopting responsible and sustainable business practices. At the heart of Sedex’s initiatives is the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA), a comprehensive audit methodology for ethical trade.

    What is SMETA Audit?

    SMETA is a robust audit methodology designed to incorporate best practices in ethical auditing. Covering Sedex’s four pillars—Labour, Health and Safety, Environment, and Business Ethics—SMETA provides auditors with a toolkit to conduct high-quality audits that span all aspects of responsible business practices.

     Sedex/Smeta Audit Step by Step

    The main role of Sedex is continuous improvement in working conditions. Now, more and more brands and buyers are using Sedex Audits to monitor and reduce their supply chain risks. Popularity of SMETA Audits is now increasing not only in international trade but also in national trade. As compliances for business increase day by day and supply chains get more distributed and shorter, the  inherent risks in supply chains are passed on to the main business. This is where a SMETA Audit comes as an important tool for Buyers and Businesses.

    Chat to our Executive

    Interested in knowing more about our SEDEX Audit Services. Just pick up the phone to chat with a member of our team.

    GET SOLUTIONS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

    Sedex is not a certification. SMETA audits result in an Audit Report and not in a certificate. Though it covers sustainability aspects in its audit, you cannot use a Sedex Logo on your product, as it is not a sustainability certification.

    A buyer should always look for a SMETA CAPR  and SMETA Audit Reports on the Sedex platform. It is not a good practice to ask for separate CAPR Reports or SMETA Audit Reports in pdf format. There is a possibility of you getting manipulated reports of CAPR.

    A SMETA/SEDEX Audit comprises Two-Pillar and Four-Pillar Audit. Two Pillar Sedex Audit (SMETA 2P) covers:
    • Labour Standards
    • Health & Safety
    • Additional Elements:
    • Management Systems
    • Entitlement to Work
    • Subcontracting and Home Working
    • Abridged version of Environment
    Four Pillar Sedex Audit (SMETA 4P) additionally covers :
    1. Environment (extended) – this replaces the Environment (shortened version)
    2. Business Ethics
    Though these pillars are new additions, Eurocert  is particularly equipped to add value in these pillars because of our experience with other sustainability initiatives which focus on recycling of material and reuse monitoring of material.

    A SMETA report has a section for “Good Examples”. All producers should aim to get some best practices highlighted in this section. For this, careful planning  is needed. A constant effort by a trained  team of workers and management people is needed. Each “Best Practice” implementation can become a case study.  Careful planning and record keeping by the management before and after the “Best Practice” implementation is a must.

    Full form of SMETA is Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit. It is a audit methodology, the digit “6.1” refers to the version of the three main components of this audit methodology which are
    1. Best Practice Guidance
    2. Report Format
    3. CAPR format

    Please fill your contact details in ‘CONTACT US’ form, and we will get in touch with you. You can also Chat with our Executive through above given ‘WhatsApp Chat Box’.

    Please fill your contact details in ‘CONTACT US’ form, and we will get in touch with you. You can also Chat with our Executive through above given ‘WhatsApp Chat Box’.

    1. Labour Standards
    2. Health & Safety
    3. Environment
    4. Business Ethics
    5. Management System
    6. Code Implementation
    7. Entitlement to work
    8. Subcontracting
    9. Home working

    Every SMETA audit will probably result in non-conformities. These non-conformities will have root causes. SMETA CAPR report identified 04 main type of root causes:

    1. Training
    2. Systems
    3. Costs
    4. Lack of Workers
    5. Other

    It is very common to identify more than one root cause for any non-conformity.  A “system” root cause is a very prominent root cause that may or may not be identified by the auditor. As a factory management , you should always try to find out if the recurrence of this type of non-conformity can be avoided by placing a system.

    A system is a combination of process and communication of the result of process. An example of “process” can be a monitoring process and the result of this monitoring process should be communicated in a simple and direct way.

    An example of nonconformity can be blocking of escape routes. While the cause of this can be both training and systems, we can try and find a corrective action for “system” root cause .

    A “system” root cause will force the management to come up with a “system” for monitoring the status of escape routes and this can be done  on a daily basis. The next important step is to communicate this “monitoring effort”  and report it in a way that is visible to all stakeholders.

    The easiest and straightforward way to make your own SMETA audit checklist is to start with your SAQ question. The SAQ- Self assessment questionnaire is available to all manufacturers when they register and pay their annual membership fee. Add to this the legal requirements of your local area regarding environment, health and safety and labour law. You can have the initial format for the SMETA audit checklist . Please note this is just a small checklist which you have to further develop.

    Sedex Advance is the name of the software platform developed by Sedex. This is used by its members to share their ethical data in the form of Sedex audit reports and Sedex CAPR. It now has more features and is continuously updated with more features for its users.

    Sedex member Directory is a new feature. This feature is available to Supplier members. This cost GBP 150 per year and is additional to Sedex membership fees. It gives more exposure to your company and site in the international market where buyers are looking for a sustainable supply chain.

    Following are the benefits of opting for Supplier membership Directory

    1. Site health check report
    2. Industry benchmarking and inherent risk score
    3. Direct links to track and improve performance
    4. See customer Member Directory profile views

    It is not specified anywhere that you need to have policies for all Ethical trade Initiative Code of conduct. It is however advisable to develop policies/ procedures / work instruction for the following:

    Child labour

    Wage and hours of work

    Disciplinary

    Benefits and allowances

    Health & Safety

    Environment

    Training

    Discrimination and Harassment

    Home workers, outworkers, and sub contractors

    This list is recommended and neither exhaustive or mandatory

     

    A SMETA audit is an investment. Just like any other system, a business takes time to understand SMETA audit. We have to have a long term perspective. We have to understand all aspects of cost associated with a Sedex audit. In the first audit one may not  get everything right. Don’t worry; no one gets it right the first time. First, we should concentrate on legal compliance and then should work towards best practices.

    The Sedex membership fee is paid annually and you can log in and get your Sedex membership renewed by paying online.

    About Us

    We are your trusted partner in audits and certifications. We are a leading company dedicated to providing comprehensive auditing and certification services to
    businesses across industries.

    Contact Us

      Copyright © 2023 Powered by sustainfuturespcs.org, a company of Sustainable Futures Group of Companies.

      Sedex Eurocert Smeta Audit