SEDEX SMETA
SEDEX is a nonprofit organization, whose headquarter is established in London. All the companies in any location can apply for the membership. SEDEX has won the favor of many large retailers and manufacturers. Many retailers, supermarkets, brand owners, suppliers and other organizations will ask cooperated farms, factories and manufactures to perform SMETA in order to be in line with the requirements of relevant ethical standards. Audit results can be recognized and shared by SEDEX membership. Thus, suppliers accept to conduct SEDEX inspection, which can avoid a lot of repeated audits from customers.
SMETA is Sedex’s social auditing standard that businesses can use to assess a supplier’s working conditions, across the areas of labor, health and safety, environment and business ethics.
Benefits for retailers and their suppliers
•Enabled collaboration;
•Improved supplier relationships and supplier chain management;
•Protected and enhanced reputation and reduced reputational risk;
•Improved competitive position for suppliers;
•Demonstrated commitment by all parties to improve ethical performance;
•Retailer confidence in their supplier's implementation of ethical work
practices;
•Transparency and trust through independently verified compliance (through SMETA
audits);
•Reduced duplicate auditing and multiplied information channels (through SMETA
audits);
•Undergoing an assessment based on a methodology commonly accepted by more than
800 Sedex A and AB members (prerequisite for commerce).
Benefits for workers
• Improved worker morale;
• Fair, safe and equitable work environment;
•Improved working conditions;
•Fair and continuously improving ethical practices;
•Culture oriented towards health and safety at work and environmental
protection.