Strengthen Your Supply Chain With SMETA Audit Consultancy
Demonstrate your commitment to ethical trading, fair labour practices, and environmental responsibility. Our end-to-end SMETA consultancy guides you from initial preparation through audit completion, so you can meet buyer expectations and open doors to global markets with confidence.
What Is SMETA?
The Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) is one of the most widely recognised social audit methodologies in the world. Developed by Sedex, one of the largest collaborative platforms for sharing ethical supply chain data, SMETA provides a standardised framework for assessing working conditions, health and safety, environmental practices, and business ethics across your operations and supply chain.
A SMETA audit evaluates your organisation against four key pillars:
- Labour Standards: Fair wages, working hours, freedom of association, and prevention of forced or child labour, benchmarked against the Ethical Trade Initiative (ETI) Base Code and International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions.
- Health & Safety: Safe working environments, adequate facilities, and proactive hazard management for all employees.
- Environment: Responsible resource use, waste management, and efforts to minimise environmental impact (optional pillar).
- Business Ethics: Anti-corruption practices, fair dealings, and transparent governance (optional pillar).
In addition to these pillars, auditors assess compliance with applicable local legislation and any specific requirements set by your buyers or retail partners.
Why SMETA Matters for Your Business
In today’s marketplace, ethical sourcing is not optional, it is expected. Retailers, importers, and multinational brands routinely require suppliers to demonstrate social and environmental compliance before entering into trade partnerships.
Meeting Growing Buyer Expectations
Major global retailers and brands now mandate SMETA audits as part of their supplier qualification process. Without a valid audit, your business may be excluded from key supply chains, regardless of product quality or price competitiveness.
Staying Ahead of Legislation
Governments worldwide are introducing legislation on supply chain transparency, modern slavery, and environmental due diligence. A SMETA audit positions your business to comply with existing and upcoming regulatory requirements proactively rather than reactively.
Building Long-Term Trust
A verified SMETA audit report, stored on the Sedex platform, provides credible, third-party evidence of your ethical practices. This builds trust with buyers, investors, and consumers, differentiating your business in competitive global markets.
Our SMETA Consultancy Services
At DagangHalal, we provide comprehensive, hands-on SMETA consultancy designed to guide your business through every stage of the audit process. Whether you are preparing for your first SMETA audit or working to resolve findings from a previous assessment, our experienced team ensures you are fully prepared and supported.
Key Benefits of SMETA Compliance
Investing in SMETA readiness delivers measurable returns across your business operations and market access:
Industries We Serve
SMETA audits are relevant to any industry where ethical supply chain practices are expected or required. Our consultancy team has experience supporting businesses across a broad range of sectors, including:
Food & Beverage
From Halal-certified manufacturers to general food processors, ensuring ethical production alongside food safety compliance.
Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG)
Supporting consumer brands that supply to major retail chains with strict ethical sourcing policies.
Agriculture & Primary Production
Addressing labour standards and environmental practices in farming, harvesting, and raw material processing.
Textiles & Garments
A sector under intense scrutiny for labour practices, where SMETA compliance is frequently a buyer prerequisite.
Manufacturing & Industrial
Covering factory operations, contract manufacturers, and component suppliers across multiple production categories.
Hospitality & Food Services
Extending ethical compliance to catering, hotel supply chains, and event management operations.
Why Choose DagangHalal for SMETA Consultancy
Deep Industry Expertise
With more than 10 years of experience in Halal and food industry consultancy, we understand the operational realities of manufacturers and suppliers. Our SMETA consultancy is practical, actionable, and grounded in real-world industry knowledge, not theoretical advice.
Integrated Compliance Approach
SMETA does not exist in isolation. Our team helps you align your ethical trade practices with your broader certification and compliance portfolio, including HACCP, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, BRCGS, and Halal certification. This integrated approach eliminates duplication and maximises your return on compliance investment.
End-to-End Support
From your first gap analysis through to audit completion and corrective action resolution, we are with you at every step. You receive a single, dedicated consultancy partner rather than fragmented support from multiple providers.
Regional & Global Reach
Based in Kuala Lumpur with extensive networks across Southeast Asia and international markets, we understand both local regulatory environments and the expectations of global buyers, bridging the gap for businesses looking to export and expand.
Digital Compliance Tools
Through our integrated digital solutions, we help you centralise documentation, improve supplier traceability, and maintain audit readiness between assessment cycles, so compliance becomes an ongoing capability, not a last-minute exercise.
Our SMETA Consultancy Process
We follow a structured, five-phase approach to ensure your business is fully prepared and supported throughout the SMETA audit journey:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
SMETA stands for Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit. It is a widely used social audit methodology developed by Sedex to help businesses assess and improve ethical practices in their operations and supply chains.
SMETA audits are relevant for retailers, brands, manufacturers, and suppliers who wish to demonstrate ethical trading practices. Many global buyers and retail chains require their suppliers to hold a valid SMETA audit as a condition of doing business.
SMETA evaluates four areas: Labour Standards, Health & Safety, Environment, and Business Ethics. Labour Standards and Health & Safety are included as standard in every audit, while Environment and Business Ethics may be added depending on buyer or business requirements.
The duration depends on the size and complexity of your operations. Our consultancy process from initial gap analysis through to audit completion, typically spans several weeks to allow adequate time for preparation and implementation of any necessary improvements.
Yes. To undergo a SMETA audit, your organisation must be a registered member of Sedex. Our team can guide you through the membership registration process and help you set up your Sedex account.
SMETA is specifically designed for use on the Sedex platform, allowing audit data to be shared easily with multiple buyers. This reduces the need for repeated audits from different customers, saving time and resources while maintaining a consistent standard.
If the audit identifies nonconformities, a corrective action plan (CAP) is developed to address each finding. Our consultancy team supports you in implementing these corrective actions and tracking progress until all issues are resolved.
Absolutely. We provide post-audit corrective action support, helping you resolve identified nonconformities, implement improvements, and prepare for your next audit cycle.
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