Ethical Trade & Labour Practices Auditing

Service summary

An assessment of employment practices against an agreed labour code and applicable requirements. The audit examines recruitment, working time, remuneration, worker representation and the management of workplace concerns.

Findings support responsible business oversight while protecting confidential worker information. Generic ethical trade audits are kept distinct from SMETA; that branded methodology may be offered only through the required Sedex-approved arrangements.

Key objectives

• Assess agreed labour practice requirements
• Examine employment and payment evidence
• Evaluate worker voice and grievance controls
• Identify substantiated employment practice concerns

Methodology

Confidential interviews, employment records and workplace observations are triangulated using worker-sensitive sampling and agreed non-retaliation safeguards.

• Agree labour criteria, workforce scope and worker-protection arrangements.
• Review workforce profiles, employment policies and relevant prior findings.
• Select records and interview groups across relevant worker categories.
• Conduct confidential worker interviews and management discussions.
• Reconcile working-time, payment, recruitment and employment evidence.
• Evaluate workplace conditions, grievance handling and conflicting information.
• Report substantiated findings without exposing individual worker identities.

Key outcomes

References: [G04] · [G07]

• Labour practices audit report
• Employment and payment findings
• Worker voice evidence
• Confidentiality-controlled follow-up information