Understanding the Revised SIZA Requirements
From 1 September 2026, SIZA introduced changes to its Temporary Employment Services (TES) due diligence and audit programme. The revised approach recognises TES providers that can demonstrate a consistent and sustained record of compliance, while ensuring that appropriate due diligence remains in place where the required criteria have not been met.
The underlying principle is straightforward: compliance should not only be demonstrated on the day of an audit but also maintained consistently between audits and over time. The revised approach clearly distinguishes between TES providers that have demonstrated sustained compliance and those that still require assessment as part of a supplier’s Social Audit.
When Can a TES Qualify for Exclusion from a Supplier’s Audit Sample?
A TES provider may qualify for exclusion from a supplier’s SIZA Social Audit sample where it has demonstrated a sustained history of compliance and meets the applicable SIZA requirements.
To qualify, a TES must:
- Be a registered legal business;
- Maintain a valid and up-to-date SIZA subscription;
- Have completed the required consecutive SIZA Social Audits, with the most recent consecutive audits achieving a Gold and/or Platinum risk rating, demonstrating consistent high-level performance over a period of at least six years (i.e. at least 3 consecutive Gold audits or 2 consecutive Platinum Audits);
- Maintain a valid and approved Social SAQ throughout the applicable period;
- Complete all required corrective actions and obtain a valid Audit Completion Letter; and
- Maintain engagement with SIZA’s compliance requirements.
The current status of TES providers that meet the applicable requirements is reflected on the SIZA TES webpage. Suppliers and audit firms should use the official SIZA TES status when determining whether a TES qualifies for exclusion from the third-party audit sample.
Maintaining Compliance Between Audits
Qualification is based not only on historical audit performance, but also on the continued maintenance of SIZA requirements. SIZA’s programme includes monitoring and verification between third-party audits through mechanisms such as:
- Annual Social SAQs;
- Corrective-action follow-up;
- Desktop reviews; and
- Between Audit activities and site visits, where required.
These mechanisms are intended to assure that the practices demonstrated during a third-party audit continue to be implemented throughout the audit validity period.A Gold or Platinum audit outcome, therefore, forms part of the TES’s compliance history but does not, by itself, guarantee continued eligibility for exclusion. The TES must continue to meet the applicable SIZA requirements. This is particularly important because employment practices and working conditions can change between audits due to seasonal labour, changes in management or workforce composition, operational changes and other circumstances.
What Does This Mean for TES Providers?
TES providers that want to maintain their compliance status should manage their SIZA requirements as an ongoing process rather than preparing only when an audit is due.
TES providers should ensure that:
- Their SIZA subscription remains up-to-date;
- Their annual Social SAQ is completed and approved within the required timeframe;
- Required audits are completed when due;
- Corrective actions are addressed and closed within the required timeframes;
- Employment records and practices remain accurate and up to date;
- Workers continue to receive the protections and conditions required by applicable legislation and the SIZA Social Standard;
- Between Audit activities, desktop reviews or site visits are completed where applicable.
What Does This Mean for Suppliers?
Suppliers remain responsible for understanding the TES providers operating on their sites and for applying the appropriate level of due diligence, seeing that joint liability is a South African legal requirement. Where a supplier uses more than one TES, for example, because different TES providers are used for different crops, seasons or operational activities, the supplier should consider each TES separately and confirm its current SIZA and compliance status.
Suppliers should:
- Check the current SIZA status of each TES provider they use;
- Confirm whether each TES meets the requirements for exclusion from the supplier’s Social Audit sample;
- Ensure that TES providers that don’t qualify for exclusion remain within the appropriate audit scope;
- Maintain appropriate oversight of labour providers and ensure adherence to legal requirements throughout the year, even if they do not use a TES subscribed to the SIZA programme.
Where a TES qualifies for exclusion, the supplier does not need to include that TES in the third-party audit sample, provided that the TES continues to meet the applicable requirements as set out by SIZA. Where a TES does not qualify for exclusion, it remains within the scope of the supplier’s SIZA Social Audit. The audit should then assess the relevant employment practices, records, working conditions, and workers’ experiences in accordance with the applicable audit scope, including worker interviews where required.
Suppliers should therefore not rely solely on a previous audit result or a TES provider’s own declaration of compliance. The current status should be verified using the official SIZA information. The approach also reflects the responsibilities of both parties under South African legislation. TES providers must meet their applicable legal and SIZA requirements, while suppliers must ensure that appropriate due diligence is applied to the labour providers operating within their supply chain.
What Happens When a TES Does Not Qualify for Exclusion?
A TES that doesn’t meet the requirements for exclusion remains subject to the supplier’s SIZA Social Audit sample. This means that the TES and the workers it supplies may be included in the relevant audit activities, depending on the applicable scope and sampling methodology. This can include reviewing employment records and practices, assessing working conditions and conducting worker interviews. This requirement ensures that appropriate due diligence continues to apply where a TES has not yet demonstrated the sustained compliance required for exclusion. The revised approach, therefore, does not remove TES from due diligence. Instead, it provides a mechanism to recognise sustained compliance while maintaining appropriate oversight for TES providers not meeting the criteria.
What Does This Mean for Auditors?
The key consideration is whether the TES is currently eligible for exclusion based on the requirements applicable as of 1 September 2026.
Auditors should distinguish between:
- A TES that qualifies for exclusion
The TES may be excluded from the supplier’s third-party Social Audit sample, provided its qualifying status is current. - A TES that does not qualify for exclusion
The TES remains within the applicable audit scope and should be assessed in accordance with the SIZA Social Audit methodology and sampling requirements.
Auditors should not independently assume that a TES qualifies for exclusion based solely on its previous Gold or Platinum rating. The current SIZA TES status and applicable requirements must be considered.
Auditor reminder: What to Check
When a TES is encountered during the SIZA Social Audit process:
- Check the current TES status: Refer to the official SIZA TES webpage to confirm whether the TES qualifies for exclusion.
- Confirm the audit scope: If the TES does not qualify for exclusion, ensure that it remains within the applicable Social Audit sample and scope.
- The audit scheduling time remains the highest peak period, with at least 66% of the total workforce present during peak production. If a site has multiple crops, the audit takes place during the highest period.
- Apply the audit methodology: Where the TES is included, assess the relevant employment practices, records, working conditions and worker interviews in accordance with the SIZA requirements.
- Consider current compliance: Do not rely only on historical audit results. Where applicable, consider evidence of ongoing compliance, including SAQs, corrective actions and Between Audit requirements.
- Document the basis for the approach: The audit file should clearly reflect how the TES status was determined and how this affected the audit scope or sampling.
A historical Gold or Platinum rating demonstrates past performance. Eligibility for exclusion depends on meeting the applicable SIZA requirements and maintaining compliance over time.
Compliance Is a Continuous Commitment
The revised TES requirements reinforce an important principle within the SIZA programme: compliance is a continuous commitment, not a once-off audit outcome.
- For TES providers, this means maintaining effective systems and responsible employment practices throughout the year.
- For suppliers, it means knowing which TES providers operate within their supply chain and applying the appropriate level of due diligence to each.
- For auditors, it means applying the requirements consistently and using the current TES status when determining the appropriate audit scope.
Ultimately, the objective is to support responsible employment practices, protect workers and suppliers by strengthening the integrity of the agricultural supply chain through consistent compliance and continuous improvement.
If you need any more clarity or assistance with this process, please feel free to reach out to SIZA at werner@siza.co.za
