Exploring the Narrative: Food Safety vs. SIZA Social and/or Environmental Audits
Many agricultural businesses have to undergo at least three types of audits, depending on the market they supply to: a food safety audit, a social (ethical) audit, and, nowadays, an environmental (sustainability) audit.
Third-party Audit Cost
The cost of compliance has always been a sensitive and uncomfortable subject. The aim of compliance is not to create financial strain on the business but a requirement to ensure a third-party certification body has evaluated specific requirements of a standard required by the farm’s clients/buyers.
What does it mean when we talk about ‘Responsible Recruitment’?
When we look at recruitment, certain aspects must be met, not only to ensure one complies with SIZA but also with the law in South Africa to ensure that the employee or employer is protected in the employment relationship.
Temporary Employment Services (TES)
Several producers in South Africa use TES’s services to supply labour during peak seasons. It is important to remember that the employment relationship between the employer and the TES is a joint responsibility.
Waste Management in Agriculture
Managing waste on the farm involves handling, reducing, and finding new uses for the various types of waste produced during farming and processing. This includes leftover crops, animal waste, and by-products from processing.
Guidance on South African Environmental Legislation
When it comes to understanding or preparing for an environmental audit, it can be a daunting task to think about all the different types of laws and requirements.
An Update on Audit Statistics
From 01 April 2023 until 31 March 2024, 713 SIZA Social (ethical) Audits were conducted in South Africa on farms and packhouses. These audits were conducted throughout various seasons and included a wide variety of agricultural crops and commodities.
SIZA Negotiated Fees vs Sedex Fees
Despite recent increases in Sedex’s audit upload fees, the negotiated rates for SIZA members remain substantially lower than global rates. This includes a steady membership fee and reduced audit upload costs, which continue to offer financial benefits to SIZA members.
SIZA is presenting a new training course on Worker Committees in Agriculture and how to implement them
Sometimes, forming or structuring a worker committee can be challenging. With this training, SIZA will provide guidelines on compiling and implementing an influential worker committee. The training is aimed at management, but it is advised that the members of the worker committee should attend the training too.
