Which legal requirements form part of the SIZA Standards
The SIZA Standards are developed to encompass various South African laws, which cover topics like worker health and safety, environmental protection, and general labour and environmental management. Key legislation incorporated into the SIZA standards includes the National Environmental Management Act, the Labour Relations Act, the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, and the Constitution of South…
Audit Planning – Scheduling in Advance to avoid Disappointment
Why it’s important to make your audit part of your annual planning SIZA audits are vital in ensuring credibility, transparency, and market acceptance across the agricultural value chain. Conducted only through independent, third-party audit firms, these audits assure buyers that compliance is measured fairly and consistently. To maintain quality and accessibility, SIZA works with a…
Animal Ecology – What Does This Mean for a SIZA Environmental Audit?
For a SIZA-recognised Environmental auditor, assessing animal ecology fundamentally differs from evaluating animal welfare. While welfare focuses on the health and well-being of individual animals, animal ecology examines the interaction between livestock populations—including cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and poultry—and their surrounding environment. It is about managing all animals as integrated components of the ecosystem to…
Demystifying Wastewater
Managing agricultural wastewater is critically important due to the high risks it poses to the environment and human health. South Africa’s National Water Act (NWA) of 1998 defines different types of wastewater and the limits thereof via the General Authorisations published under the NWA. The legislation recognises the following types of wastewater: Wastewater Water containing…
Before You Burn: Understanding Waste Burning Laws
Burning waste is often the selected method of waste disposal for farms, notably in areas that lack adequate municipal waste management service delivery and/or infrastructure. Although a common practice, suppliers should be aware of the high risks and the multi-legislative requirements that govern the burning of waste and differentiate this from other burning practices. Legal…
Meeting Carbon Reporting Demands with SIZATrack360
Complying to carbon footprint requirements and why SIZATrack360 is an option The European Union (EU) regulatory requirements, such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) mandate European companies to report all their emissions, including their scope 3 emissions (emissions associated with their value chains). This includes emissions related to the importation of food and other…
Gas Bottles in Worker Accommodation – What’s Allowed?
The rules around cooking, fire safety, and legislation on farms can be complex and different for each farm. One of the main hazards often identified is the use of gas bottles by occupants in agri-worker accommodation. While gas bottles and stoves are common in daily life, their use in housing carries serious risks and strict…
Third-Party Worker Transport: Who’s Responsible?
Transporting workers is one of the highest-risk activities in agriculture, and many employers use third-party providers to move staff to and from farms or packhouses. While outsourcing transport can be practical, it is not always possible, and does not remove the producer’s responsibility to ensure that transport is safe, legal, and well-managed. The SIZA Transport Guide reminds…
