Most retailers and brands ask garment suppliers for a recent third-party social audit, and the three accepted most often are amfori BSCI, Sedex SMETA and WRAP. A valid audit from one of these dated within the last 12 months, usually a four-pillar SMETA where SMETA is specified, is typically enough to open a supplier account. Which one you need depends on your customers and your home market rather than on the factory, so find out what your buyers accept before you ask a factory for anything.
The three main schemes
- amfori BSCI: a membership-based system used widely by European retailers. The factory is audited against the BSCI code of conduct and receives a rating, and the result sits on the amfori platform where member companies can view it.
- Sedex SMETA: an audit methodology rather than a certificate. The two-pillar version covers labour standards and health and safety; the four-pillar version adds environment and business ethics. Reports are shared through the Sedex platform with the buyers a supplier links to.
- WRAP: a certification programme used widely by North American apparel buyers. Facilities are certified at platinum, gold or silver level for a fixed period and are re-audited to renew.
- Others: SA8000 is a management-system certification for social accountability and is sometimes accepted instead. ISO 45001 covers occupational health and safety management and is useful, but it is not a social audit.
What retailers actually ask for
Typically a complete report dated within the last 12 months, in the factory's legal name, covering the site where your goods are made. Some retailers require an audit by a firm from their approved list, or their own audit on top. Most also ask for a corrective action plan and evidence that findings were closed.
Scope matters as much as validity. An audit on a sister unit, on the head office address, or on a factory that then subcontracts your sewing to another unit does not cover your order. Check the worker count and address in the report against what you see on the ground.
Use the audit, but do not rely on it
Read the full report rather than the summary page. Look at the findings, whether they repeat from the previous audit, and how long closure took. Announced audits give a factory weeks to prepare, so pair the report with your own visits, some of them semi-announced or unannounced, to see normal practice rather than a tidy day.
Also plan for expiry. If the report runs out mid-season and the factory has not booked a renewal, your goods can be blocked at the customer's end even though nothing has changed in the factory.
How we handle it
We collect audit reports from each factory, check validity, scope and address, and then visit the site and run our own checks. We flag renewal dates in the weekly update so an expired audit never surprises you. One approved supplier plus one backup keeps your programme moving if a factory fails. If you are not sure which scheme your customers need, start with a free 20-minute sourcing review.