SIZA

The auditor’s role is to understand the climate context in which a business operates, identify where climate-related conditions may increase existing risks, and assess whether those risks are being effectively managed and whether appropriate measures are in place to strengthen resilience.

When addressing waste management within an agricultural business, the first step towards effective waste management is to identify and classify all waste streams generated on-site. This is essential, as each waste stream must be managed and handled in accordance with applicable legislative requirements and recognised waste management practices.

An environmental audit is not the end of the environmental management process. It provides a point-in-time assessment of how effectively a business identifies and manages environmental risks, while also highlighting areas for improvement.

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. As of 1 September 2026, changes have been implemented to the TES Due Diligence Programme.

The proceedings of a third-party audit rarely remain confined to the audit day itself – instead often extending well beyond the farm gate to shape the perceptions of suppliers who have been audited and those that are yet to be audited.

SIZA celebrates ten years as an independent organisation at a celebration event on 19 August 2026. However, the real story behind the milestone is not simply the growth of an organisation. It is the story of a South African agricultural industry that recognised, long before many of today’s sustainability requirements became mainstream, that it needed to take responsibility for its practices.

One of the strongest messages to emerge from the recent SIZA Conference in South Africa was that compliance can no longer be viewed simply as a requirement for market access. In an increasingly complex global agricultural environment, compliance is becoming a critical tool for building resilient businesses, trusted supply chains, and sustainable agricultural systems.

At SIZA, we often see that the most successful audits are not necessarily those conducted on the largest or most structured farms, but those where management pays attention to the basics every day. Audit findings are frequently linked to simple administrative gaps rather than major compliance failures. One of the areas that continues to receive… Continue reading Getting Audit-Ready: Small Actions That Make a Big Difference

Seasonal and temporary labour is a cornerstone of the agriculture sector, allowing businesses to scale their workforce in response to fluctuating demand, especially during peak production seasons. This flexibility offers significant operational and financial advantages, but it also introduces complex risks that, if mismanaged, can lead to legal penalties, financial losses, reputational damage, and even… Continue reading Navigating the Risks Around Seasonal and Temporary Labour

For many agricultural suppliers, peak season brings extremely long days, unpredictable weather, export deadlines, labour shortages and immense operational pressure. Harvest periods often leave little time to complete seasonal work. While these operational demands are understandable, employers must still ensure compliance with South African labour legislation regarding working hours, overtime, and employee rest periods. Failure… Continue reading Managing Overtime During Peak Agricultural Seasons:  When There Simply Aren’t Enough Hours in the Day