Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How can buyers verify the risk of a supplier’s status if they have a SIZA audit?
A: The MySIZA platform provides comprehensive risk reports and detailed information on audit outcomes. Buyers can register on the SIZA platform to gain access and visibility into audit results and status updates directly online. Additionally, buyers registered with the SIZATrack360 program may view suppliers’ production data, provided suppliers have granted permission through a two-step opt-out process.
Q: What does biodiversity have to do with agriculture?
A: Biodiversity has associated benefits for agriculture in the form of diverse ecosystem support. Biodiversity in the form of genetic diversity among flora and fauna enhances ecosystem services and the resilience of natural assets, both foundational to agriculture. By safeguarding biodiversity, the resilience of natural assets and ecosystem services is improved, providing benefits in protecting food security and sustainable production. The SIZA Environmental Standard emphasises identifying and monitoring all critical flora and fauna to avoid directly or indirectly degrading or disturbing them to the greatest extent possible, thus conserving their ecosystem services.
Q: What are the benefits of engaging with the surrounding community?
A: Engaging with the surrounding community can positively impact the business by fostering trust and collaboration, strengthening supply-chain relationships, aligning strategies towards common goals, and enhancing the company’s social capital. For farm workers, this boosts rural livelihoods and incentivises environmental stewardship at a grassroots level. The SIZA Environmental standard emphasises holistic engagement and evaluation of the surrounding environment, including the surrounding communities, to evaluate the site’s impact.
Q: Why is it important to conserve heritage sites?
A: Heritage sites (such as burial grounds, blockhouses, and certain natural assets) are valuable to the property that they reside on and may provide monetary benefits via agri-tourism and cultural-tourism. There is also a legal requirement to protect heritage sites that may be located on privately owned land. As part of your environmental audit, the SIZA auditors will check for the conservation of any heritage sites to ensure the legal and customary rights of indigenous people and local communities are respected. Depending on the context, continual conservation and maintenance of heritage sites may also be seen as a good practice.
Q: Can a supplier share their production data and/or carbon footprint status with markets or buyers?
A: Yes. Suppliers who capture their data on the SIZATrack360 programme can share their recordkeeping data with the market/buyers. This requires permission to be given. For security reasons, visibility requests have to be initiated and accepted by both parties, meaning that confirming permission for visibility on the SIZATrack360 programme is a two-step process, and the producer may opt out at will.
Q: How can buyers ensure suppliers adhere to their country’s pesticide regulations?
A: The SIZA Environmental Standard outlines responsible pesticide management to ensure a supplier’s compliance with domestic legislation and market requirements. A buyer registered on the MySIZA platform may view the audit results directly to gauge if any pesticide management non-compliance was realised. Furthermore, buyers registered with the SIZATrack360 programme may request visibility on suppliers’ production data, which gives detailed insights into the selection, quantity, and efficiency of pesticide use within the business.
