Outsourced Service
SMETA / SEDEX Social Audits
SMETA 2-Pillar and 4-Pillar social audits for SEDEX members — the world's most widely used ethical trade audit methodology. CAS conducts both pillar options per SMETA 7.0, with results uploaded directly to the Sedex platform for all connected buyers.
SMETA 2 & 4-Pillar
SMETA 2 & 4-Pillar
SMETA
What is SMETA & SEDEX Audits?
SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) is the world's most widely used ethical trade audit methodology, developed by Sedex (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange). SMETA is an audit methodology — not a certification — that assesses supplier sites against the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Base Code, ILO Conventions, and local law. Results are shared via the Sedex platform, enabling one audit report to satisfy multiple buyers simultaneously. SMETA 7.0 (August 2024) is the current methodology, introducing more targeted assessments designed to identify harder-to-detect issues.
Who Is This For?
Factories, farms, and service providers in the supply chains of global brands and retailers requiring SEDEX membership and SMETA audit reports — common in food production, apparel and footwear, fresh produce, electronics, and consumer goods supply chains.
Key Benefits
- Single SMETA audit report accepted by multiple buyers simultaneously — reduces audit fatigue and cost
- Results uploaded directly to Sedex platform — visible to all your buyer connections immediately
- SMETA 7.0 (August 2024) — current methodology aligned with latest ETI Base Code and ILO standards
- CAS conducts both 2-Pillar and 4-Pillar options — buyers increasingly require 4-Pillar
- Not a pass/fail system — encourages continuous improvement rather than box-ticking
- Internationally recognised — required by Tesco, M&S, Walmart, Carrefour, ALDI, and hundreds of global brands
- Supports ESG reporting, supply chain due diligence, and corporate sustainability commitments
- Collaborative Action Required findings support systemic improvement across supply chains
Certification Process
1
Application & Review
Submit your application. CAS reviews your organisation's scope, personnel, sites, and activities to prepare a detailed audit time calculation and formal commercial proposal.
2
Stage 1 — Document Review
On-site or remote review of your management system documentation, readiness assessment, and confirmation of Stage 2 audit scope and plan.
3
Stage 2 — On-site Audit
Full on-site audit of the implemented management system against the standard's requirements. Findings are reported; nonconformities must be closed before certification.
4
Certification Decision
CAS's independent certification committee reviews the audit findings and issues the certificate. The certificate is valid for 3 years.
5
Surveillance & Recertification
Annual surveillance audits (~1/3 of initial audit time) maintain certification. Recertification audit (~2/3 of initial time) is conducted before certificate expiry to renew for a further 3 years.
Audit Time: Suppliers must first register on the Sedex platform. The SMETA audit is conducted on-site by a SMETA-trained and Sedex-approved auditor. The audit covers document review, facility inspection, and worker interviews (conducted privately and confidentially). The audit report is uploaded to Sedex and shared with all connected buyer members. CAS conducts both 2-Pillar and 4-Pillar SMETA 7.0 audits.
SMETA 2-Pillar vs 4-Pillar — Which Do You Need?
4-Pillar — Detailed Coverage:
Pillar 1 — Labour
The ETI Base Code elements: freely chosen employment, freedom of association and right to collective bargaining, safe and hygienic working conditions (within this pillar for 2-Pillar), no child labour, living wages, reasonable working hours, no discrimination, regular employment, and no harsh or inhumane treatment.
Pillar 2 — Health & Safety
Workplace health and safety covering fire safety, chemical handling, machine safety, emergency procedures, PPE provision, worker H&S training, accident investigation, and health and safety management systems.
Pillar 3 — Environment (4-Pillar only)
Environmental performance including waste management, wastewater controls, air emissions, energy and water usage, hazardous substances management, environmental permits, and environmental management systems.
Pillar 4 — Business Ethics (4-Pillar only)
Anti-bribery, anti-corruption, sub-contracting transparency, and business ethics management systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
SMETA 2-Pillar covers Labour and Health & Safety. SMETA 4-Pillar adds Environment (Pillar 3) and Business Ethics (Pillar 4). Most major international buyers now require 4-Pillar. CAS conducts both options — your buyer's requirements determine which applies.
No. SMETA is an audit methodology, not a certification. There is no "pass" or "fail" outcome. Sedex is not a certification body. The SMETA audit produces a report identifying non-compliances and non-conformances, with timeframes for remediation. The goal is continuous improvement, not a binary outcome.
Introduced in SMETA 7.0, CAR is a new finding type for issues where the site cannot remediate alone without support from buyers, brands, or other stakeholders — such as living wages, freedom of association in legally restricted environments, or issues requiring systemic supply chain change. CAR findings have different closure requirements from standard non-compliances.
SMETA audit reports are typically valid for 1–2 years depending on buyer requirements. They are uploaded to the Sedex platform where all connected buyers can access them directly. Some buyers require annual re-audits.
Yes. Your facility must be registered as a Sedex supplier member and linked to your buyers on the Sedex platform before a SMETA audit report can be uploaded and shared. CAS can guide you through the Sedex registration process.
SMETA 7.0 (August 2024) introduced refined Issue Titles with pre-assigned criticality levels, Collaborative Action Required (CAR) findings for systemic issues, and more targeted assessment methods to identify harder-to-detect issues. Issue Title IDs from SMETA 6.1 are retained where carried over; new Issue Titles introduced in 7.0 have new unique IDs.
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