Auditing Newsletter

One of the key features of MySIZA is the visibility link system, which connects suppliers to buyers across the supply chain. These links enable buyers, exporters, and retailers to view the compliance status of their suppliers, ensuring transparency and trust throughout the agricultural sector. When a farm, packhouse, or other agricultural business grants visibility, their… Continue reading Understanding Visibility Links on MySIZA

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… Continue reading Which legal requirements form part of the SIZA Standards

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… Continue reading Audit Planning – Scheduling in Advance to avoid Disappointment

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… Continue reading Animal Ecology – What Does This Mean for a SIZA Environmental Audit?

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… Continue reading Demystifying Wastewater

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… Continue reading Before You Burn: Understanding Waste Burning Laws

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… Continue reading Meeting Carbon Reporting Demands with SIZATrack360

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… Continue reading Gas Bottles in Worker Accommodation – What’s Allowed?

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… Continue reading Third-Party Worker Transport: Who’s Responsible?

Employment Equity (EE) is becoming an increasingly important topic for South African businesses, particularly with recent amendments to the Employment Equity Act (EEA). While not a direct SIZA audit checklist requirement, suppliers who operate in agriculture and related sectors should be aware of the legal obligations and the practical steps needed to stay compliant. The… Continue reading Employment Equity – What Resources are Out There?