Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) Best Practice Guidance

. That the work is under the control of the legal authority.
c. Pay and hours meet the law.
Note: Any such scheme, where prison labour is voluntary, the workers are paid minimum wage plus overtime,
and that access to paid work is not discriminatory should be recorded as an observation and the exact
situation should be documented on the audit report. If the full conditions of any prison labour present cannot be
established, a non-compliance should be raised.
Worker Interviews - to corroborate workplace practices
Auditor seeks to confirm documents and management interview by worker testimony. Discrepancies
should be noted, taking care to protect the anonymity of workers.
1.5. Are workers working voluntarily and can they leave their employment after reasonable notice. Do they
know the procedure for giving notice?
1.6. Have any workers made deposits and if so what for and when will they be repaid.
1.7. Do workers’ pay deposits for essential work items such as PPE?
1.8. Whether they have possession of their original documents, e.g. passports / ID’s and if not why not.
1.9. Where workers must surrender their original ID’s for legal reasons, do they know how to retrieve them.
1.10. Do workers feel free to leave site during breaks and rest time and at the end of shift.
1.11. Can they refuse to do overtime and if so how.
1.12. Are any searches performed on workers handled with respect and without restricting movement e.g.
leaving at the end of shift?
1.13. Are dormitories secure, and do workers feel that they can leave them when they wish.
1.14. If there are hours restrictions e.g. curfews, do workers feel these are reasonable.
1.15. If any workers have loans have they agreed in writing to the amount and the terms and do they
understand and believe them to be reasonable.
1.16. Whether workers have ever noticed other workers who were forced to work at this site.
2. Freedom of Association
CODE REQUIREMENTS
SMETA Best Practice Guidance (4-Pillar Version 4.0, May 2012)
2.1 Workers, without distinction, have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain
collectively. 2.2 The employer adopts an open attitude towards the activities of trade unions and their
organisational activities. 2.3 Workers’ representatives are not discriminated against and have access to carry
out their representative functions in the workplace. 2.4 Where the right to freedom of association and collective
bargaining is restricted under law, the employer facilitates, and does not hinder, the development of parallel
means for independent and free association and bargaining.
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