SMETA, the world’s leading audit

SMETA is available in English, Spanish and Mandarin. Where reports and Corrective Action Plan Reports are needed in a language other than English, these should be dual language and must include English.

Speak to our team about your options to find a solution which best fits your business needs.

If you are already a member our e-Learning module ‘Supplier’s SMETA resources toolkit’ is available for all supplier members. This module will guide you through the steps you can follow to prepare for a SMETA audit. Please login to the Sedex Platform to access Sedex e-Learning.

There are a series of guidance documents to help you understand what to expect from a SMETA audit, actions you can take to prepare for your audit, and how to address any non-compliances (NCs).

These detailed guidance documents are available specifically for Sedex members via Sedex e-Learning.

Overview documents can be found here:

English
Chinese
Thai
Vietnamese
Bahasa Malaysia

SMETA audits are carried out by auditors from Sedex’s named independent, third-party Affiliate Audit Companies (AACs). Only these companies and their auditors are approved by Sedex to use the SMETA methodology. 

Sedex owns and evolves the SMETA methodology, oversees its usage and drives SMETA auditing consistency through our Audit Quality Programme. Sedex does not carry out SMETA audits directly. Non-AAC companies, and individuals not affiliated with Sedex or an approved AAC, are not authorised by Sedex to offer Sedex/SMETA-related services.  

By conducting a SMETA audit, your business can identify areas for improvement, enhance its reputation, and build trust with stakeholders. SMETA 7 is the latest version, offering updated guidance and improvements to the audit process.

To learn more about how SMETA can benefit your business and understand the key principles and changes in SMETA 7, download our comprehensive guide.

Businesses use SMETA to look at conditions, practices, workers and risks at individual sites in supply chains. They use the findings from SMETA audits to make improvements and carry out other next steps, such as more targeted deep-dive assessments into specific areas.   

A SMETA audit involves an auditor from one of Sedex’s approved Affiliate Audit Companies visiting a supply chain worksite in person to conduct an on-site assessment. The SMETA methodology measures a site against the ETI Base Code, the standards of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions and local law.  

Depending on the chosen scope of the SMETA audit (2-Pillar or 4-Pillar), the auditor will review the site’s documentation, records, policies, processes, practices, operations, workers and conditions across several areas related to labour, environmental management and general site management.  

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Yes, only businesses who are Sedex Members will be permitted to have a SMETA audit (whether full or follow up) conducted by an Affiliate Audit Company. Businesses who want a SMETA audit will need to be registered and have an active account on the Sedex platform. In order for your audit to be uploaded to the Sedex platform, you must first be a member.

Speak to our team today to find out the best membership option for your business.

Sedex created SMETA in 2004, growing it out of the Ethical Trade Initiative’s ETI Base Code. A group of UK retailers were running separate audit programmes with no shared standard between them, and wanted one independently verified methodology instead, reducing duplication for suppliers while raising standards. Sedex has owned and developed SMETA ever since, including its biggest overhaul, SMETA 7, in 2024.

SMETA gives buyers a standardised, comparable data set across every supplier, regardless of sector or geography, making it possible to identify risk, prioritise where to focus, and track improvement over time. Because SMETA is the world’s most widely used social audit, many suppliers already have a report on file, reducing the time and cost of requesting a new assessment from scratch.

SMETA is built as a continuous improvement methodology, not a pass-or-fail test, giving suppliers a clear picture of their risks and a path to address them. Businesses that act on their findings often see fewer worker injuries, lower turnover, and smoother site operations. It also helps suppliers prepare for their own due diligence obligations further down their supply chain, as expectations continue to grow.

SMETA is a continuous improvement methodology rather than a certification, and that is by design. A certification offers a pass-or-fail snapshot in time, while SMETA reflects that due diligence is ongoing: there is always more a business can do to improve conditions for workers. This keeps buyers and suppliers working together to resolve risks rather than ending the relationship at the first finding, so the benefit ultimately reaches the workers themselves.