SIZA Audits

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 doesn’t mean businesses must constantly implement new requirements. Instead, it highlights the importance of maintaining consistent practices, whether during peak operations or quieter periods. Whether… Continue reading Compliance Doesn’t Take a Holiday

Why it’s important to make your audit part of your annual planning SIZA audits are vital in ensuring credibility, transparency, and market acceptance across the agricultural value chain. Conducted only through independent, third-party audit firms, these audits assure buyers that compliance is measured fairly and consistently. To maintain quality and accessibility, SIZA works with a… Continue reading Audit Planning – Scheduling in Advance to avoid Disappointment

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 Sustainability Initiative of South Africa (SIZA) has introduced a new, enhanced security feature to strengthen the integrity and transparency of its audit process. Going forward, all Audit Completion Letters (“certificates”) will include a unique QR code that allows instant verification of their validity. When scanned, the QR code will automatically confirm whether the specific… Continue reading SIZA Introduces QR Code Security Feature for Audit Completion Letters

As we approach the end of the citrus season in South Africa for most regions, it is remarkable to see how well citrus suppliers are performing in compliance. Audit results as of 1 April show a dramatic increase of 55% in the number of environmental audits conducted nationwide compared to last year. Even more impressive, 72% were… Continue reading South African Citrus Suppliers are making a Remarkable Impact.

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

SIZA is committed to establishing processes to ensure that SIZA Social and Environmental audits remain credible, objective, impartial and an effective way to evaluate risk within a business. Measuring risk is, however, not as easy or simple as one would like to believe – it involves an understanding of potential hazards, risk exposure and impact… Continue reading Understanding Risk Allocation in Audits: What It Means and How It Works

During a SIZA audit, when a SIZA auditor makes a finding, the auditor must allocate a risk rating to each finding. The risk rating of the finding will be based on the root cause of the problem and certain risk factors observed on the day.

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.

The legal right to work needs to be clarified for producers and auditors, particularly when employing foreign nationals. Before being employed by a South African business, all foreign workers in South Africa must possess a valid passport or ID and the necessary work permits. Employing foreign nationals without a valid work permit and passport is illegal under the Immigration Act 13 of 2002 (as amended).