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The Sustainability Initiative of South Africa (SIZA) The Sustainability Initiative of South Africa (SIZA) The Sustainability Initiative of South Africa (SIZA)
  • About
    • Managing SIZA
  • Why SIZA
    • Subscription Levels & Costs
    • Terms & Conditions
  • Standards
    • Reviewing Standards
    • Audit Process Methodology
  • Audit Process
    • Completing the SAQ
    • Choosing An Audit Firm
    • Audit Execution
    • Audit Frequency & Between Audit Monitoring
    • Audit Disputes Process
  • SIZATrack360
    • SIZATrack360 Resources
    • SIZATrack360 FAQs
    • Tracking Impact Data – M&E Reports
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What has SIZA been up to since April 1st 2025?

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SIZA Spotlight

Staff Awards - November 2025

At the end of each period, SIZA hosts a staff meeting to reflect on recent achievements and recognise team members who have gone above and beyond in various areas.
_Social Media Content Oct 2025 (3)

SAQ Superhero

Leam Soomar
Master of reviewing SAQs
WhatsApp Image 2025-11-21 at 12.56.22

Admin Ninja

Carmen Botes
Slicing through admin tasks like a pro
WhatsApp Image 2025-11-21 at 12.56.21 (1)

Follow-Up Phenom

Yolande Oosthuizen
Following up, never falling behind
WhatsApp Image 2025-11-21 at 12.56.20 (1)

Social Butterfly

Matthew Guest
Spreading good vibes with the top social media post
WhatsApp Image 2025-11-21 at 12.56.20

Crowd Commander

Michaela Schirnig-Steyn
Leading SIZA training with confidence
WhatsApp Image 2025-11-21 at 12.56.21 (2)

Tidy Titan

Ashley Robinson
Leading SIZA training with confidence
WhatsApp Image 2025-11-21 at 12.56.21

Road Warrior

Matthew Wessels
Going the distance (literally), and then some!

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Compliance Doesn’t Take a Holiday

Compliance Doesn’t Take a Holiday

Preparing for a Smooth Start to the New Year As a continuous improvement programme, SIZA emphasises that compliance is an ongoing journey, one that extends throughout the holiday season. This…

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Having Trouble Logging into Your MySIZA Account? Here’s How to Get Back Online Quickly

Having Trouble Logging into Your MySIZA Account? Here’s How to Get Back Online Quickly

The SIZA team has recently noticed an increase in users experiencing login difficulties on the MySIZA Platform. In most cases, these issues can be resolved quickly, often without needing assistance…

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It’s the holidays! But does this mean we should be wasteful?

It’s the holidays! But does this mean we should be wasteful?

Tackling Increased Consumption and Waste During the Festive Period in Agriculture The festive season is often viewed as a time filled with abundance, whether it be food, gifts, family gatherings,…

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Our Latest Posts

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Enabling South African Agriculture to be a global leader. Ensuring sustainable, ethical trade and environmental stewardship.

As school-going children enjoy their holiday, it i As school-going children enjoy their holiday, it is important to be mindful of the risks their presence can bring to busy farms and production sites. It is essential to uphold South Africa’s child labour laws by protecting children under 15 from any form of work and ensuring safe, appropriate conditions for young workers aged 15 to 17. Let’s work together to make this a safe and happy holiday for every child.
Before heading off on holiday, ensure your profile Before heading off on holiday, ensure your profile on the MySIZA Platform is 100% up to date.
🔹 Pay your subscription on time to keep your profile active throughout the holiday period and thereafter.
🔹 Complete your SAQs before the holiday season to ensure that they are in approved status before companies close.
🔹 Upload all your audit corrections and make sure your audit is completed in full before the offices close for Christmas on 19 December 2025.

Haven’t received your Proforma Invoice email from the MySIZA Platform? Reach out to Yolande Oosthuizen in the SIZA office for assistance by calling 021 852 8184 or sending an email to yolande@siza.co.za.
On Friday, the SIZA team came together to celebrat On Friday, the SIZA team came together to celebrate the end of 2025. Thank you to our incredible team for your dedication throughout the year! It was an evening of good food, great company, and a festive Secret Santa gift exchange. Here’s to a successful year behind us and an even brighter one ahead.
It is December! December is a time for rest for ma It is December! December is a time for rest for many, but what about businesses that do not close for the holiday?  For table grape and stone fruit farms, it is peak production season. Packhouses and farms often remain fully operational, with workers on duty throughout this period.

Remember that the public holidays on 16, 25 and 26 December 2025 still apply. Employees must either be given these days off or, if they agree to work, be paid at double their daily wage.

Public holidays can also be exchanged for another working day, allowing operations to run smoothly while employees still receive a paid day off in the same period.

For more information, you can refer to the SIZA Working Hours and Wages Guideline, or view the SIZA animated video on our YouTube channel!
Farms, packhouses, and processing facilities have Farms, packhouses, and processing facilities have internal grievance mechanisms in place, each monitored through SIZA’s independent, third-party audit process.

If any concerns remain unresolved and involve possible violations of the SIZA Code of Conduct or standard requirements, they can be directed to the SIZA Voice for All programme.

Voice for All offers multiple ways to raise grievances:
* Online Complaints Form
* Toll-free telephone line
* and a brand new dedicated WhatsApp line for easy communication and engagement.

WhatsApp us on 067 083 1640

Your voice matters, and we are here to help.
Suppliers with a valid SIZA Social third-party aud Suppliers with a valid SIZA Social third-party audit in place do not have to complete a GRASP v2 add-on assessment as part of their GLOBALG.A.P. Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) audit. Similarly, suppliers in South Africa with a valid SIZA Environmental third-party audit do not have to duplicate auditing efforts with a SPRING v2 add-on. 

This partnership streamlines audits, reduces duplication, and lowers costs for South African suppliers, strengthening access to global markets while promoting responsible and sustainable farming practices.
SIZA recently took part in @hortgro’s Sustainabl SIZA recently took part in @hortgro’s Sustainable Agriculture webinar series.  This episode focuses on Carbon Footprinting within South African agriculture. SIZA’s sustainability specialist, Matthew Guest, emphasised several key points, including in the attached video: 
- Emissions should no longer be seen as a byproduct, but rather as a resource that should be managed effectively to mitigate potential supply chain risks. 
- New emission regulations from the EU (such as the CSRD) increase barriers to market access. Demonstrating active management of emissions through quantifiable measures (i.e., a carbon footprint) demonstrates that this resource is being actively managed for continual improvement. 
- Utilising integrated recordkeeping systems, such as SIZATrack360, allows for input data to be recorded and assessed, optional carbon footprints to be calculated by an independent carbon footprint calculator (such as CCC and AgrigateOne), and allows for optional market visibility on environmental data, if the supplier grants permission. 

Visit the link in our bio to view the full webinar.

If you would like assistance with your carbon footprint or the SIZATrack360 programme, do not hesitate to contact Matthew Guest at matthewg@siza.co.za.
The summer season sometimes brings heat and dry co The summer season sometimes brings heat and dry conditions, and invasive alien plants like Port Jackson Willow, Paraffin Weed, and Black Wattle make fires hotter and harder to control.

This means:
• More damage to orchards, vineyards, and grazing land
• Soil degradation after intense burns
• Loss of grazing potential
• Increased risk to workers and infrastructure

Clearing invasive plant species isn’t just about conservation. It’s a climate-smart farming strategy that protects livelihoods and production. Manage them this summer and keep your farm, your workers, and your land safer.
If you are a packing or processing facility that p If you are a packing or processing facility that processes or packs products from other farms or suppliers, you must provide proof of your suppliers' compliance.

This is about ensuring the safety, quality, and traceability of everything you pack or process in your business.

It means having strong systems to track raw materials and ensuring suppliers meet the proper standards. This will foster and maintain mutual respect and trust throughout the value chain.
We are excited to announce an enhancement to the S We are excited to announce an enhancement to the SIZATrack360 checklist – a dedicated section for uploading optional supporting documents.

Recordkeeping just got easier! Users can now conveniently upload monthly records that align with the data captured on the system, making recordkeeping more transparent and centralised.

Keeping your documentation in one place can simplify future audits, improve traceability, and strengthen your reporting.

We encourage all users to make use of this new functionality to enhance their recordkeeping processes on SIZATrack360 today!

 For more information, please contact Carmen Botes by sending an email to carmen@siza.co.za.
At SIZA, we’re committed to supporting subscribe At SIZA, we’re committed to supporting subscribers through every stage of their compliance journey by providing practical tools and resources such as templates, guidelines, training videos, and workplace posters. These helpful resources are designed to make compliance easier, clearer, and more effective for your business. 

Visit www.siza.co.za to explore more resources designed to support your sustainability journey.
Soil erosion reduces soil fertility, harms ecosyst Soil erosion reduces soil fertility, harms ecosystems, and threatens long-term productivity. The SIZA Environmental Standard promotes erosion control through cover crops, contour farming, and better water management, protecting soil health for future seasons.

If you need assistance, don't hesitate to get in touch with Ger-Mari Tesselaar at germari@siza.co.za
Today, Matthew Wessels (SIZA) gave a brief talk on Today, Matthew Wessels (SIZA) gave a brief talk on SIZATrack360 at the Atlas AgriSA Congress. Retha Louw and Werner van Dyk also attended and engaged with various stakeholders during the social breaks. The theme throughout the conference clearly confirms that climate change affects all of agriculture, and solutions such as SIZATrack360 are needed to ensure a sustainable future.
Although you have 90 days to update your SAQ every Although you have 90 days to update your SAQ every year, sometimes time can easily run out.  If you would like SIZA to review your SAQ even faster because you are out of time, here are a few simple things you can do to help speed up the process and ensure your submission is approved smoothly and efficiently.

1. Ask questions early to avoid unnecessary back-and-forth
2. Keep documents up to date
3. Check for completeness before submitting

The more accurate and complete your SAQ is, the quicker we can review and approve it. These small steps save time for everyone, helping your business stay on track with compliance.
Auditing only part of a farm or an area risks over Auditing only part of a farm or an area risks overlooking key environmental impacts and compliance obligations. The SIZA Environmental Standard evaluates how your entire business manages soil, water, waste, energy, biodiversity, and legal requirements. Integrated audits on management systems avoid duplication, ensure consistent practices across all sites, and provide transparent assurance to stakeholders. This holistic approach helps producers identify overlooked risks and strengthen environmental management across the whole operation.

 An integrated management system audit ensures every part of your farm meets environmental standards—no gaps, no duplication, just stronger compliance and transparency!
Today, Retha and Werner of SIZA visited @sanlucarf Today, Retha and Werner of SIZA visited @sanlucarfruit in Valencia to maintain and strengthen relationships and a continuing partnership. SanLucar is a very important importer to South African agriculture for a wide variety of products.
When the production and packing season is in full When the production and packing season is in full swing, burning waste can feel like a quick fix. But before striking that match, knowing what’s legally permitted is crucial. Under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 39 of 2004, burning hazardous materials like chemicals, plastics, or pressure-treated wood is strictly prohibited. These substances release dangerous toxins into the air, endangering human health, animal life, and the environment.

Hazardous waste should be disposed of by an authorised external service contractor. The person in charge must ensure there’s no spillage or littering during transport and that the receiving facility is authorised in terms of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act No. 59 of 2008). Accurate records of waste quantities disposed of must also be maintained. Where possible, partner with a registered disposal company to handle hazardous materials safely and responsibly.

For more information on how to safely dispose of hazardous waste, get in touch with the SIZA office at enviro@siza.co.za, or +27(0) 21 852 8184.
SIZA has the fortunate opportunity to have product SIZA has the fortunate opportunity to have productive meetings with European retailers, importers and other global stakeholders. It is, however, such a privilege to meet the Western Cape Department of Agriculture management team here in Madrid! We thank the Western Cape government for its valuable contribution and support to SIZA and the South African agriculture. 

From left to right: Head of Department, Dr Mogale Sebopetsa (WCDoA), CEO of SIZA, Ms Retha Louw, Minister of Agriculture (WCDoA) Dr Ivan Meyer, and Director of Agricultural Economic Services (WCDoA), Ms Bongiswa Matoti.
It's the first day of the Fruit Attraction in Madr It's the first day of the Fruit Attraction in Madrid, where the export industry serves as a connection point for professionals who make up the entire agricultural value chain, as well as having consolidated itself as a framework for innovation in the fruit and vegetable market.
To effectively recruit employees, especially seaso To effectively recruit employees, especially seasonal labour within the agricultural sector, it's imperative to grasp the agricultural landscape and the competencies required for recruiters to comprehend and address the needs of farms, packhouses, or processing facilities. 

In most cases, supervisors lead recruitment, but this role requires skill, knowledge, and training. From labour law awareness and agricultural know-how to cultural sensitivity and communication, these competencies protect workers and strengthen compliance.

By investing in training, you’re not only safeguarding your workforce but also strengthening your compliance standing.
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