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SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) is the world's most widely used social responsibility audit methodology, developed by Sedex (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange) to assess labor standards, health and safety, environment, and business ethics within global supply chains. It is not a quality certification granted to a specific product, but rather an audit process and report format designed to diagnose a factory's compliance with social responsibility and ensure transparency.
SMETA uses the ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative) Base Code as its fundamental guideline and is designed to practically apply the principles of the international standard ISO 26000 (Guidance on Social Responsibility) to the field. (ISO 26000 exists as an international standard guideline for organizational social responsibility and is a core reference standard for SMETA). Global apparel brands (H&M, Gap, Walmart, Nike, Adidas, etc.) and bag/footwear manufacturers mandatorily require this audit to verify their partners' compliance regarding forced labor, prevention of child labor, and industrial health and safety.
SMETA is a multi-faceted diagnostic tool that goes beyond simple checklist-based inspections to ensure supply chain sustainability. - Transparency: Audit results are shared with multiple buyers through the Sedex Advance platform, reducing redundant audits and saving costs. - Ethical Sourcing: Human rights protection, including the prevention of child labor, forced labor, and discrimination, is set as the top priority. - Continuous Improvement: When non-conformances (NC) are discovered, the factory's operational level is systematically raised through a Corrective Action Plan Report (CAPR).
| Item | Details | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Audit Standard | ETI Base Code, Local Labor Law | Stricter standard applies in case of conflict |
| Audit Type | 2-Pillar (Labor, Health & Safety) / 4-Pillar (Environment, Business Ethics added) | Selected based on buyer requirements and ESG disclosure needs |
| Related International Standards | ISO 26000 (Social Responsibility), SA8000 (Social Accountability Standard) | Cross-reference and benchmarking standards |
| Audit Cycle | Generally 12 or 24 months (Varies by Risk rating) | Periodic/Ad-hoc/Announced/Unannounced audits combined |
| Data Platform | Sedex Advance (Cloud-based Database) | Sharing audit results and ensuring supply chain visibility |
| Key Assessment Items | Working hours, Wages, Non-discrimination, Fire safety, Chemical management, Needle management | Based on SMETA Measurement Criteria 6.1 |
| Audit Execution Body | APSCA registered professional audit firms (SGS, Intertek, BV, LRQA, etc.) | Accredited third-party audit firms (RA/ASCA grade auditors) |
| Scope of Application | All manufacturing industries including Garment, Bags, Footwear, Electronics, Food | Entire global supply chain (Including Tier 1, 2, 3) |
| Metal Detection Sensitivity | 1.0mm ~ 1.2mm Ferrous ball (Based on Hashima) | Essential criteria for finished product inspection (Includes ISO 4915 stitch integrity) |
| Workplace Illuminance | 1,000 Lux or more for inspection areas, 500 Lux or more for sewing lines | For worker eyesight protection and quality defect identification |
| Fire Aisle Width | Maintain at least 1.1m (44 inches) | Effective width for emergency evacuation (Based on NFPA 101) |
In sewing and manufacturing sites, SMETA holds strategic value similar to an 'export license' beyond a simple inspection.
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Symptom: Excessive Overtime - Root Cause Analysis: Excessive overtime scheduling due to failure to meet production line targets or over-ordering during peak seasons. Particularly, bottlenecks in the lockstitch (ISO 4915 301 stitch) process cause increased waiting time for subsequent processes, leading to night shifts. - Interim Check: Triangulation of data between Time Cards, Payroll, and Daily Production Reports. - Final Solution: Readjustment of production schedules, optimization of Line of Balance (LOB), improvement of productivity per person through the introduction of automated equipment (e.g., Juki DDL-9000C automatic thread trimmer), and introduction of shift systems if necessary.
Symptom: Blocked Fire Exits & Aisles - Root Cause Analysis: Temporary stacking in aisles and around emergency exits due to lack of warehouse space for fabric and trim boxes. Inadequate feed path planning during mass production. - Interim Check: Verification of emergency exit sign lighting and maintenance of aisle width (minimum 1.1m) during floor walk-throughs. - Final Solution: Strengthening 5S activities (Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain), repainting yellow floor lines, strict separation of loading areas, and limiting stacking height (0.5m below the ceiling).
Symptom: Broken Needle Policy Non-compliance - Root Cause Analysis: Risk of metal fragments remaining in finished products due to loss of broken needle pieces or failure to record 1:1 exchanges. High frequency of needle (DBx1, DPx17, etc.) breakage when sewing thick bag materials. - Interim Check: Verification of consistency between the Needle Log and the actual needle fragments attached to the magnetic board. - Final Solution: Implementation of needle management training for all workers. Mandatory re-passage through a Metal Detector for the entire lot if all broken needle pieces are not found. Implementation of 1:1 exchange only under supervisor approval.
Symptom: Inadequate Chemical Management (Lack of MSDS and Secondary Containment) - Root Cause Analysis: Absence of MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) on spot remover and machine oil containers, and lack of secondary containment trays. - Interim Check: Verification of labeling and availability of MSDS translated into the local language for all chemical containers on-site. - Final Solution: Installation of dedicated chemical storage cabinets, installation of secondary containment trays, and provision of PPE for hazardous substance handlers. Verification of local exhaust ventilation operation during spot removal to prevent inhalation.
Symptom: Non-enrollment or Underpayment of Social Insurance - Root Cause Analysis: Intentional omission of insurance enrollment for workers in probationary periods or daily laborers, or payment below the legal minimum wage to reduce labor costs. - Interim Check: Verification of actual enrollment through cross-checking labor contracts, worker rosters, bank slips for insurance premiums, and worker interviews. - Final Solution: Completion of social insurance enrollment for all workers, securing evidence of retroactive payments for omissions, and uploading to the Sedex platform.
| Language | Term | Romanization | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 한국어 (KR) | 세덱스 감사 | Sedex Gamsa | 현장에서 SMETA를 통칭하는 말 |
| 한국어 (KR) | 옌창 / 검장 | Yenchang | 중국어 '验厂'에서 유래, 바이어의 공장 심사를 의미 |
| 베트남어 (VN) | Đánh giá tuân thủ | Danh gia tuan thu | 준수 평가 (Compliance Audit)를 뜻하는 공식 용어 |
| 중국어 (CN) | 验厂 | Yàn chǎng | 공장 검사/심사를 뜻하며, SMETA를 포함한 모든 사회적 감사를 지칭 |
| 일본어 (JP) | コンプライアンス監査 | Konpuraians Kansha | 컴플라이언스(법규 준수) 감사 |
| 영어 (EN) | NC (Non-Conformance) | NC | 감사 중 발견된 부적합 사항 또는 결함 |
| 베트남어 (VN) | PCCC (Phòng cháy chữa cháy) | PCCC | 소방 안전(Fire Fighting)을 뜻하며 감사 시 핵심 점검 항목 |
SMETA audits focus on assessing compliance with the following nine principles: 1. Employment is freely chosen: No forced labor or retaliatory employment. 2. Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected: Guarantee of union formation and activities. 3. Working conditions are safe and hygienic: Provision of fire, electrical, mechanical safety, and hygiene facilities. 4. Child labor shall not be used: Compliance with local legal minimum age for employment. 5. Living wages are paid: Compliance with minimum wage and accurate payment of overtime premiums. 6. Working hours are not excessive: Compliance with maximum weekly working hours (usually 60 hours) and guarantee of rest days. 7. No discrimination is practiced: No discrimination based on race, religion, gender, etc., in hiring, compensation, or promotion. 8. Regular employment is provided: No abuse of daily labor and signing of labor contracts. 9. No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed: Prevention of physical abuse, verbal abuse, and sexual harassment.
Editor's Note: This document was prepared based on ISO 26000 and the ETI Base Code. Please ensure to check the latest revisions of local labor laws during actual audits. Particularly in Vietnam, attention should be paid to overtime limits and severance pay regulations according to the revised Labor Code 2019, which took effect in 2021.