Sedex or SMETA Audit? Here’s What Your Buyer Wants You to Understand

  If you work in manufacturing, likely in garments, packaging, food processing, or any business that exports, you have probably experienced a buyer asking, "Are you Sedex certified?" or asking to do a SMETA audit. At first, it seems you are being asked the same thing, but you are not. Here is what they mean, and how to do it right, without wasting time doing paperwork that is not needed. Sedex is not an Audit; It is a Platform Sedex (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange) is only a platform. It is an online database that companies use to share the results of their ethical audits. It is not a certification. There is no badge, logo, or off-site visit by Sedex. What your buyer wants is: You have a Sedex profile. You’ve uploaded your latest SMETA audit report. They can view your performance and risk level. Sedex is just the locker. What matters is what you put in it. SMETA Is the Audit That Happens in Your Factory   SMETA stands for Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit. It’s a real, on...