Social audits are performed to assess if and to what extent a Naturland member meets the social responsibility standard. The focus of the social inspection varies from country to country but is generally on occupational health and safety and employment conditions. It also covers basic human rights issues like forced labour and exploitative child labour.
Naturland trains inspectors who carry out audits at any producer or processor worldwide in its organic and social standards. After the training, the inspector is familiarized with international human rights and equipped not only with the relevant checklist that based on the standards, but also with a toolbox of inspection methods: observation, interview, and document review.
The combination of these methods is called cross-checking and ensures the accuracy of the findings. For example: In an interview, a worker says he works 40 hours a week from Monday to Friday. This can be verified by checking the worker’s contract and working time documentation.
Observation is the first and most obvious way to get an idea of the general working conditions. It does not only involve the visual sense – we can perceive and process a working environment with all our senses: What is the temperature in the manufacturing plant? How noisy and dusty is it? What are the workers wearing? How are running machines secured or dangerous areas covered? Where are the emergency exists and are they accessible? In particular, areas such as health and safety, hygiene, emergency plans, high-risk activities, first aid equipment, access to drinking water and accommodation can be checked through observation. Sometimes child labour or migrant workers can also be identified.
Even personal interactions between supervisors, management or workers can be observed and give a sense of the level of respect and psychological safety. A careful walk through the factory or production site gives the inspector a deep understanding of whether the working environment is safe and whether workers are well protected. But it is not only the auditors who can use this method. As a plant manager, it is advisable to occasionally step out of the routine walkthrough and ask yourself whether the situation is conducive to a healthy workplace – because routines and habits are often the source of accidents because hazards are overlooked.
All these methods together enable the inspector to gain a full picture of the extent to which a company meets Naturland’s social responsibility standards. Not to be forgotten is the inspector’s knowledge of local conditions and awareness of the cultural context. Both will have a major impact on the level of trust that can be created and the accuracy of the assessment of the situation; hence, the depth and success of an audit. Of course, this is only a picture of an inspection lasting one to several days, and situations can change over time. For companies with a history of non-compliances, unannounced audits can take place to avoid “staged performances”.
In conclusion, using these methods and putting on the inspector’s glasses as a company manager can only have positive effects. Being in constant and open communication with employees and therefore knowing their needs and problems, can lead to improvements that might not only increase their well-being, but also their productivity. This will ultimately benefit the company, regardless from certification.
Ann-Kristin Schmidt is specialist for fair trade and social responsibility at Naturland and supports the Naturland Fair partners is Africa in implementing the fair trade standards. Moreover, she is in charge of networking activities in social and community-supported agriculture.