Many producers request information on how they schedule their SIZA third-party audits. The first step is to ensure you plan when your next audit needs to take place, and then contact all the recognised audit firms to get tentative quotes and dates, before deciding on which firm to use. Producers contact the firms by calling or emailing the people listed on the website:
It is important to remember that you ensure you book your audit ahead of time, and not wait until the last minute, as this will make arrangements very difficult on short notice. A few reminders to keep in mind when booking your audit:
- Ensure you plan your audit at least 3 – 6 months in advance.
- Make sure you have the latest and approved Self-Assessment Questionnaire available prior to booking an audit.
- Make sure that the audit firm you choose, are accepted by your respective buyers (make sure you confirm with your exporter, importer and retailer if they accept the specific audit firm for their buying programme).
- Make sure that you schedule the audit date during a time when your business is in peak production, as this is a market requirement for both social and environmental audits. There needs to be at least 66% of your total workforce (permanent and seasonal) present for social audits, and your packhouse/processing facility needs to be in operation during the audit to allow the auditor to verify all practices.
- Request the preferred language from the audit firm to best suit your business needs, including the operational activities and workforce.
- Request for a plan to ensure the audit firm provides the most suitable and most cost-effective option, such as auditing with other firms in your area, to limit travelling expenses for the audit. Ask the audit firm whether there is an auditor in your area at the given time to limit costs and time.
- Prepare for your audit by ensuring that you have a full inspection of your business practices ahead of time. Feel free to refer to your Member Resource page on your MySIZA platform profile for guidance material and document templates.
If you would like to have an audit without any surprises, please ensure that you submit all your preferences to the audit firm of choice. For more information on booking your SIZA third-party audit, feel free to call the SIZA office at 021 852 8184 or to Wian van Niekerk (wian@siza.co.za)