Audits

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?

The SIZA Auditor Training, held on 15 and 16 September, brought together a diverse audience, both virtually and in person. Seventy auditors, schedulers, and reviewers from the seven SIZA-recognised audit firms joined from across the country for two days of learning, collaboration, calibration, and insightful discussions. It was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect face-to-face, exchange… Continue reading SIZA Auditors Training – September 2025

An effective environmental management system is the foundation for complying with the SIZA Environmental Standard. This standard is built on four pillars—soil, water, biodiversity and energy, materials and waste —all of which are addressed holistically across your business or farming enterprise through risk identification, prevention and mitigation measures, and legal compliance A common misconception is… Continue reading Why Full-Scope Audits Matter

South Africa has several laws regarding asbestos, specifically on managing it when it is present on a site. The regulations give employers a clear duty to identify asbestos in place and manage it properly. This duty is also extended to employees to take care of their health and safety and also look after others who may be affected. The Asbestos Abatement Regulations, as promulgated in November 2020, set out the requirements for the disposal of asbestos under Section 21.

Alien plant species are introduced, intentionally or unintentionally, to an area where they do not naturally occur. Once these species begin to spread and establish themselves beyond their initial point of introduction, they are classified as invasive alien plant (IAP) species.

South Africa’s agricultural sector is at the heart of the country’s efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of global objectives established in 2015 to promote prosperity and sustainability by 2030. However, with growing challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, and land degradation, meeting these goals will require more than just policy reforms — it will demand rigorous environmental oversight, particularly through environmental auditing.

It’s crucial to ensure your contact information on the SIZA platform is accurate and current to keep you fully informed and updated on important developments. Audits are costly and have become increasingly important over the last few years. Therefore, it is important to gain as much knowledge about this expense in your business as possible because, without proof of compliance, you cannot access a variety of markets to sell your products. Having the right contacts listed allows us to deliver timely, relevant communication to the right person in your business.

In today’s compliance-driven marketplace, having real-time visibility into suppliers’ compliance information is essential for buyers aiming to mitigate risks and ensure adherence to Social and Environmental standards. The MySIZA platform stands out as a cutting-edge, globally competitive solution for the South African agricultural industry. 

From 01 April 2023 until 31 March 2024, 713 SIZA Social (ethical) Audits were conducted in South Africa on farms and packhouses. These audits were conducted throughout various seasons and included a wide variety of agricultural crops and commodities.

The cost of compliance has always been a sensitive and uncomfortable subject. The aim of compliance is not to create financial strain on the business but a requirement to ensure a third-party certification body has evaluated specific requirements of a standard required by the farm’s clients/buyers.