What SMETA is and why buyers ask for it
SMETA — the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit — is the most widely used ethical audit format in the world, developed by Sedex. It assesses a site against responsible business practices: how it treats workers, how it manages health and safety, its environmental practices and its business ethics. As supply-chain accountability has grown, SMETA has become a standard way for retailers and brands to check the ethics of their suppliers.
It is important to be precise about what SMETA is: it is an audit, not a certification. The deliverable is an audit report — not a certificate — and that report is usually shared with customers through the Sedex platform, where they use it for responsible-sourcing due diligence. Buyers increasingly ask suppliers for a recent SMETA audit as a condition of doing business.
What the audit covers
A SMETA audit is conducted as either a 2-pillar or 4-pillar audit:
- Labour Standards — working hours, wages, freedom of association, no forced or child labour
- Health & Safety — safe working conditions
- Environment (4-pillar) — environmental management practices
- Business Ethics (4-pillar) — anti-corruption and ethical conduct
The findings are documented in the audit report and shared with the buyers who rely on them.
Timeline & process
Because SMETA is an audit rather than a certification programme, it is scoped per engagement around the site and the number of pillars in scope. We begin with a fixed-price scoping call and a proposal within 24 hours.
Common questions
Is SMETA a certification?
No. SMETA is an ethical audit methodology, and the deliverable is an audit report — not a certificate. The report is typically shared with customers through the Sedex platform for responsible-sourcing due diligence.
What does a SMETA audit cover?
It runs as a 2-pillar or 4-pillar audit. The core pillars are Labour Standards and Health & Safety; the 4-pillar version adds Environment and Business Ethics. It is one of the Industry & Food Certifications services and is especially relevant to manufacturers and their supply chains.
