Are demands for Ethical Trading compliance growing in your country?
In the UK the past few years there is growing demand for businesses to comply with ethical trading standards. Driven by the retailers (surprise, surprise) standards and requirements vary from customer to customer, but are roughly based on the Ethical Trading Base code.
Suppliers now are required to be members of SEDEX and undertake self-assessment and audit. All suppliers in the Walmart supply chain must undergo an Unannounced Audit.
Is this specific to the UK or are you seeing the rise of Ethical Compliance in your country...if so how does it look?
Here in our organisation, we are certified SMETA (Sedex members of Ethical trade Audit). it's demanding. And if you sell a product with a bottler such as Coca cola, you need absolutely passing through his audit chain which is Ethical Audit at work site first, then food safety.
But i see this very interesting you know!!
I haven't seen it required by our customers, but I have seen the SQF is selling the course, so I imagine it's only a matter of time. However I could be wrong, because here Wal-Mart asks data for a Carbon Disclosure Project, but does nothing with the results.
Here in our organisation, we are certified SMETA (Sedex members of Ethical trade Audit). it's demanding. And if you sell a product with a bottler such as Coca cola, you need absolutely passing through his audit chain which is Ethical Audit at work site first, then food safety.
But i see this very interesting you know!!
Hi Michael, the SMETA is tough indeed and can be carried out in conjunction with a Walmart audit to save duplication and cost. If you are a professional business the initial reaction is...why do they want to ask us all of these dumb questions! Questions so basic about how you treat employees, not imprisoning or beating them etc. BUT at every audit there is an element of learning and improvement and the Walmart new standard is very tight on fire safety. As with all of these customer standards and requirements you can kick and scream and fight them or go along with an open mind and a forced smile and get the job done. In the end you have to do it. Just the same as where we were 10-15 years ago with food safety standards.
I haven't seen it required by our customers, but I have seen the SQF is selling the course, so I imagine it's only a matter of time. However I could be wrong, because here Wal-Mart asks data for a Carbon Disclosure Project, but does nothing with the results.
It will be a matter of time Setanta...Walmart are supposed to be rolling it out throughout their global supply chain. In some ways I can understand as their brand is too important and valuable to be dragged through the dirt, but on the other hand it is a real pain and more work. That said earlier as mentioned earlier there is always some learning :shrug:. It's not just Walmart many of the larger retailers and food businesses are onto it over here. May as well get ahead of the curve.
Hi Simon; the question is dumb but, still it remains a question, to give you a certification, you need to reply and comply to these dumb questions, you know with today's global business competition, as food quality, everybody is requested to have a work life quality setting in place. so this is also part of the SMETA, Very often organisations do not have Health and Safety culture, no respect for workers, people are working overtime at the detriment of their social and family life, at the end of the month the boss just know, ''I pay them for this!!, but Ethical audit comes to show the boss he can keep the money for him but make these people enjoy their work life. Get in it with this mind set, you will see, prepare your workers that they will be interviewed by auditors, you will enjoy this.
kind regards,
Michael G
I know Michael, I am one who sees the value of the audit and I believe it is a useful certificate that one should be proud of...unbiased employee feedback is always good to have (good or bad). I think it gets a bad reputation (from some) because a lot of the time is spent checking basic things that in many countries are covered by laws and regulations. For example in the UK health, safety and welfare, minimum wage, working hours etc. I think you and I and most other people could walk into any factory and within 5 or 10 minutes know whether it was generally ethical. Having been through it on balance I am for it.
Hello,
Any recommendation for certification bodies in Latin America?
I appreciate the help.
Hello,
Any recommendation for certification bodies in Latin America?
I appreciate the help.
Which standard?
Hi Simon, SMETA
If you visit this page and scroll down you will see a list of audit companies.
Some you will recognize as operating globally.
That's the best I can do as I do not have direct experience in Latin America.
Thank you!