The SIZA programme is improvement-led and not a snapshot audit programme, and is developed as a comprehensive audit programme to drive continuous improvement. To be successful with the implementation of SIZA, suppliers need to make this part of their lifestyle on the farms and continuously implement the programme requirements in their totality. SIZA offers different frequencies of its third-party audits, depending on a supplier’s third-party audit outcome. Depending on the number of findings and the risk ratings of each finding received during an audit, the supplier will receive an overall grading, i.e., Platinum (3 years), Gold (2 years), Silver (2 years) or Bronze (12 months). The allowance of longer audit validity periods is to support the drive that incentivises suppliers who do well, eliminating the pressures of audits, duplication, audit fatigue and production interruptions. These gradings and frequencies are then supported by between audit monitoring activities that must be met between audit periods to maintain the validity of the audit frequency. You can view the matrix and its processes here: SIZA Audit Frequency Matrix.
All suppliers complete and update a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) every year. This serves as an online desktop review of the site’s practices by having each supplier’s SAQ reviewed by SIZA. If a supplier has opted to do both the Social and Environmental Standards, they will need to complete a SAQ for each Standard. It is then reviewed by a knowledgeable labour and/or environmental specialist within the SIZA office to determine a risk score of the supplier’s compliance status. In any event there are areas that require improvement, its sent back to the supplier for corrective action. To maintain a valid audit, each supplier must get their annual SAQ approved within 90 days each year of the subscription renewal.
SIZA carries out site visits annually based on a sample size, selected from audits with 2- and 3-year audit validity periods. These visits take place to ensure practices on site are monitored to remain in place following a third-party audit, and offers an opportunity for improvements to be identified, should any non-compliance be noted during the site visit. A Between Audit Monitoring Report is published, detailing the practices that were evaluated, which is also visible to buyers on the MySIZA platform.
All audits, SAQs and between audit monitoring activities are monitored by SIZA regularly throughout the year to ensure suppliers do not lapse in their continuous drive towards improvement. This serves as a continuous risk management process to protect the buyer and the supplier. For every non-compliance, corrective actions must be submitted before the auditor can review and close it. Only once the last corrective action is closed out will a supplier receive an Audit Completion Letter (certificate) indicating their risk rating and serving as proof that the audit took place and all corrective actions were successfully resolved. SIZA oversees this process by following up with each supplier on their outstanding corrective actions to ensure improvement takes place.
In any event where a supplier receives a Critical Alert during a third-party audit, SIZA is notified by the audit firm and then informs the buyers within 24 hours of the Critical non-compliance. The purpose of this is to provide the details of the severe finding to the buyers to ensure they are aware of the risk, but also to assist within the value chain to have it resolved. The Critical non-compliance must be resolved through a follow-up visit by the third-party auditor to ensure the corrective action is verified onsite. In any event where a Critical non-compliance is raised, the supplier cannot receive a Platinum, Gold, or Silver risk rating, and will receive a Bronze rating, resulting in a new full third-party audit to be done during the next production season again.
To create value for suppliers, SIZA offers a best practice programme that allows businesses to have their practices that exceed minimum requirements made visible to buyers. This drives an approach of continuous improvement and ensures suppliers aim to do to more. This can include practices such as onsite schooling, clinics, learning initiatives etc. being provided to employees, going above and beyond the minimum requirements.
To further enhance improvement, SIZA recognises expert companies, consultants, and individuals within South Africa who can assist suppliers within specific areas of compliance. In any event where a supplier receives a non-compliance that needs expert intervention, or perhaps engagement from a company that has the appropriate skill, i.e., psycho-social intervention, they can use one of the approved Remedy Solution providers SIZA makes available to them to effectively address the root cause of an issue.
As part of SIZA’s commitment to buyers and the value chain, grievances can be lodged with SIZA from any interested party. This includes agri-workers on farms, trade unions, buyers, auditors, farms, etc. SIZA offers a multitude of channels through which this can be done, including social media, an online portal via the public website, a toll-free hotline telephone number, WhatsApp number, and in-person engagements. SIZA can report on each case logged, offering insights into the details of all grievances from start to closure. The programme is developed to ensure any case can be evaluated on whether it requires independent investigation, mediation from staff, or other expert focus, including a national expert committee that evaluates a case anonymously. SIZA is currently partnered with appellando which allows for the reporting of grievances to EU governments as part of the EU Due Diligence directives. This programme further enhances the drive to monitor practices on farms and allows for another alternative to a site’s onsite grievance mechanism.
