Choosing the Appropriate Social Compliance Standard

It can be difficult to choose the best social compliance audit for your company when there are so many options available. Although the majority of social compliance requirements adhere to International Labor Organization (ILO) norms, there are differences depending on the target industries, auditing principles, and certification requirements, among other factors.

We’ve described the key social compliance audit standards below to help provide some clarity and help you better understand how each works.

Amfori: BSCI

Amfori is in charge of organising the BCSI standard, which has about 2,400 members. BSCI focuses on the general merchandise, apparel, textile, household, food & beverage, electronics, and accessories segments while serving a variety of businesses. While BSCI is not a certification, it does encompass environmental principles and offers a framework to assist businesses in improving working conditions throughout their supply chains.

The BSCI standard’s social audit principles cover rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining, discrimination, pay, working conditions, occupational health and safety, child labour, special protection for young workers, precarious employment, bonded labour, environmental protection, and moral business conduct. The BSCI standard addresses needs from a variety of industries, such as general retail, apparel, textiles, home products, food and drink, electronics, and accessories.

Aldi, Amazon, Carrefour, Target, Triumph, Everlast, and Halti are large corporations that make use of the BSCI standard.

Social Accountability International: SA8000

With 4,608 recognized companies falling under its purview, the SA8000 standard by Social Accountability International is a fully certified standard. The SA8000 standard covers a wide range of businesses and includes worker interviews, however, it does not contain environmental concepts.

The SA8000 audit principles guarantee no child labor, no forced or compelled labor, proper health and safety, freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, anti-discrimination, ethical disciplinary methods, working hours, compensation, and management systems.

Disney, Gucci, Timberland, and Everest are notable corporations that use the SA8000 standard.

Sedex: SEDEX SMETA

The SEDEX SMETA audit, which is run by Sedex, uses an audit process and offers advice rather than certification. The SEDEX SMETA methodology, one of the most extensively used social compliance audits in the world with over 60,000 organizations using it, incorporates environmental criteria among its audit principles. The fresh food and grocery categories, fashion, packaging, chemicals, home products, and tools and machinery segments are just a few of the industries that use SEDEX SMETA.

The auditing standards that SMETA SEDEX adheres to include those set forth in the UN Guiding Principles for Business Respect for Human Rights, management systems and code implementation, freely chosen employment, freedom of association, safety and hygienic working conditions, child labor, living wages and benefits, working hours, discrimination, regular employment, subcontracting and home-working, harsh or inhumane treatment, entitlement to work, and environment.

Companies that follow the SMETA SEDEX principles include Walmart, The Body Shop, Procter & Gamble, Pepsi, KFC, and Nestle.

Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production: WRAP

There are currently 2,700 businesses with the WRAP accreditation, representing a wide range of industries in the sewn-products market (apparel, textile, accessories, footwear, leather, and furniture).

The WRAP certification, which is widely used by retailers and focuses on certifying socially responsible factories, addresses the following range of audit principles: adherence to laws and workplace regulations, prohibition of forced and child labor, prohibition of harassment or abuse, payment of wages and benefits as required by law, limitation of work hours by law, prohibition of discrimination, health and safety, freedom of association and collective bargaining, and customs compensation.

PQsmitra evaluates suppliers or manufacturers in accordance with the appropriate social compliance standards for their sector and offers the necessary support to help businesses get ready to pass official compliance audits.

PQSmitra has been providing Social Compliance Consultation for the Textile & Apparel Industry for the past 20 years. “Mitra” in Marathi means a friend, and likewise we work more on a partnership than just being mere consultants.
You can expect the following things from us
1. Handholding throughout the Implementation, Audit, and even after the audit.
2. Support for Documentation & Training
3. Full responsibility for the completion and genuineness of the Certification

Our team at PQSmitra is ready to help your business build meaningful Ethical Business and achieve your goals. Looking forward to forming relations and simultaneously working for your smooth Operations.