Understanding the amfori Social auditing procedure

With over 37,000 audits conducted annually through the amfori system, social audits carried out under the amfori Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) are one of the solutions amfori members can find as part of the amfori due diligence toolbox. The services and tools provided by amfori are specifically designed to support and encourage our member companies in enhancing the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance of their supply chains. However, it is important to note that amfori solutions alone cannot guarantee sustainable trade, as this ultimately relies on the proactive engagement of our members.

amfori BSCI audits help amfori members assess the social risks and performance of a production site from one of their business partners within their supply chain. This type of audit focuses on assessing the effectiveness of social management system. They are not related to any quality, food safety or product safety audits, nor to any standard, qualification or certification system.

amfori BSCI audits include: “full audits” and “follow-up audits” with three announcement types: fully unannounced (auditee does not know when an auditor will visit their production site), semi-announced (auditee will know a period of time the auditor may come to visit their production site) and fully announced (the auditee knows exactly when the auditor will come).

As of 1 September 2024, amfori will no longer accept requests for fully announced amfori BSCI audits. amfori will only have two announcement types for amfori BSCI audits: fully unannounced and semi-announced.

When amfori members source from a given production site, they are invited to map the producers in their supply chain using the amfori Sustainability Platform. Afterwards, it is the responsibility of one of the responsible members to request an amfori BSCI audit for that production site as well as determine the auditing company that will conduct the social audit. Our members are responsible for deciding which producers are audited based on their due diligence prioritization.

In order to compile satisfactory evidence and reach a professional judgment, auditors need to collect data across 13 social performance areas. How? Auditors verify and observe production sites as well as cross-verify multiple sources of information (e.g. worker interviews, records, documents and site observations).

In accordance with the amfori Audit Assurance Programme (AAP), auditors conducting amfori BSCI audits must meet two requirements. First, they need to pass a 5-day auditor training provided by training institutions accredited by amfori. Secondly, we require that our social auditors are APSCA certified. This certification implies that they are competent and knowledgeable in the field of social compliance and that they meet high standards of social compliance auditing.

The amfori AAP sets maintains and raises the quality and integrity standards for auditing companies to conduct amfori BSCI audits. It is managed by the Audit Assurance Partner who is selected and commissioned by amfori, and overseen by the relevant members of the amfori main office. The programme is composed of an integrity project in China, audit quality activities (onsite and offsite), regular performance evaluations with investigations and if needed, sanctions. amfori approved auditing companies and auditors are subject to auditing and supporting activities throughout the year that aim to ensure the high quality of their amfori BSCI audit operations.

While social audits play a crucial role in our members’ due diligence efforts, it is a solution that offers a snapshot at a given point in time. amfori BSCI is not a standard or qualification or certification system. Social audits are one solution in the amfori toolbox and can only help in improving labour standards when supplemented with other effective human rights due diligence tools.

amfori encourages its members not to rely solely on social audits but to employ additional due diligence methods, including stakeholder engagement, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the conditions in the production sites from which they source.

amfori remains dedicated to promoting sustainable trade and encourages its members to leverage the full range of tools and solutions, including social audits, to foster responsible global supply chains.

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