As SIZA is a multi-sector agricultural solution for South African suppliers, the MySIZA platform allows for a diverse subscription base and a detailed breakdown of commodities. Over the last 10 years, the following can be mentioned according to continuous improvement and growth.
Since 2016, SIZA has expanded tremendously
- Overall operational growth = 512%
- Subscription increase = 267%
- More than 40 different agricultural commodity types, including more than 120 varieties, are represented nationwide.
This growth speaks to the importance of compliance from a global and local market perspective. As more buyers require evidence of social and environmental compliance audits, more suppliers have trusted the SIZA programme to allow them to meet these requirements.
SAQs
If you look at the Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQs), an online benchmark against legislation and between audit monitoring tools to prove compliance:
- since 2016, there has been an increase of 731% of the total SAQs being completed annually
- suppliers across South Africa improved their average risk scores by 32,6% to an average risk score of 96,4%.
This improvement by suppliers showcase the conscious commitment on farms, packhouses and processing facilities to meet local legislative and market requirements.
Placing the focus on Third-party Audits
- Social (Ethical) Audits show 10% growth every three years, supporting the validity of the three-year audit matrix.
- Environmental (Sustainability) Audits have increased by 950% over the last three years since Environmental sustainability became a market requirement.
- Auditor Capacity has increased by 360% since 2016, resulting in 46 more trained, approved and qualified Lead auditors available.
This steady growth can be related to the expansion of the programme to become a multisector agri-wide programme and the increased demand for compliance globally. The focus is no longer only on fruit suppliers, but various other commodities, such as vegetables, spice manufacturing, flowers, dairy products, poultry and more.
SIZA’s Remedy Programme
If we focus on transformation goals and better circumstances for all living and working on farms, the Corrective Actions supported by SIZA’s remedy programme showed:
- Since 2016, the producers have closed an astonishing 97% of all non-conformances in full, resulting in corrective action and bettering circumstances driving continuous improvement.
- The SIZA Audit Oversight and Capacity-building initiatives are very well implemented and drive improvement in support of compliance through the following:
- SIZA Best Practice Programme
- Remedy Solution Programme
- Independent Dispute Process
- Auditor Calibration Sessions
- Training, guidelines and assistance offered in person and online to suppliers
- Voice for All programme
Market access with SIZA
To ensure market access, opening new markets and maintaining current markets through visibility and traceability:
- Market acceptance has increased by 168% (226 new markets) since 2016
- A total of 351 global markets accepts the SIZA audit programme
- Visibility links increased by 400% in secondary registrations, resulting in 22,930 links with buyers globally.
Although one can attribute the increase and growth to the comprehensiveness of the SIZA programme and its availability for assistance through the SIZA office in South Africa. Compliance has remained a strong focus from supermarkets and importers to ensure their risks are managed, and suppliers have multiple options of standards and audit programmes globally. The acceptance of the SIZA programme allows for a more cost-effective solution for suppliers in South Africa.
