WHO CAN BE AUDITED?
Who can be Audited?
All producers, pack houses and processing plants in agriculture can be audited against the SIZA Standard. The programme is inclusive of emerging growers and new members and labour service providers.
Emerging Growers Compliance Programme
SIZA offers emerging growers the opportunity to register as a member on the system and to remain a provisional member until the site is ready for a third party audit. Emerging growers will have to complete and update the SIZA Self-Assessment SAQ annually. By doing this, the emerging grower will be able to identify the areas of risk and to focus on correcting problems with the help of a skilled mentor. The SIZA capacity-building programme has ethical trade and environmental assurance facilitators who will provide support to all growers including emerging growers to assist them to get to the point of audit-readiness. The benefit for emerging growers is to be part of a system that provides feedback on areas of risk while at the same time providing support with continuous improvement and allowing them to decide when they are ready for an audit.
The importance of this approach from the industry perspective is that emerging growers will be encouraged to be visible on the system without the pressure of an immediate audit which is also an added cost. The programme can then be aware of the areas of risk and provide support where appropriate.
Temporary Employment Service Providers
Temporary employment service providers who provide seasonal labour to employment sites are equally bound by the requirements of labour laws reflected in the SIZA Standard. Employers who use the services of a labour service provider are jointly liable for any legal non-compliances on the part of the service provider. Where a site uses the services of a labour service provider, the ethical audit process requires that such employees be present on the site at the time of the audit.
See the Temporary Employment Service Provider Checklist for a breakdown of legal requirements