amfori BSCI / SMETA audits
Factories have had a commercial social audit, a basic check that's useful but easily gamed.
- Supportive: it improves the score but isn't proof on its own
What it is
amfori BSCI and SMETA (from Sedex) are widely used social audits. An auditor visits a factory and checks it against a code of conduct on wages, hours, safety and workers' rights.
What it checks
- A factory visit by a commercial auditor
- Checks against a code of conduct on hours, safety and rights
What it doesn't
- Audits are often announced in advance and can be gamed
- Wages are rarely checked properly
- It's a check, not a certification of good practice