unilever

UnileverRS

Unilever utilizes social compliance audits to gain insight into the working conditions and management systems at a supplier and drive continuous improvement in worker well-being. SMETA (4-Pillar) Version 7.0 is the only version of audit that is recognised by Unilever. SMETA, an audit process, serves as a comprehensive tool to evaluate and enhance standards concerning labor, health and safety, environmental practices, and ethical conduct within your organization’s operations or at a supplier’s site.

URSA standard

    How you benefit

    • Increased visibility – Gain a greater understanding of the social and environmental performance of your business and suppliers

    • Prioritize high risks – Assess and monitor higher risk suppliers on their performance over time

    • Efficient supplier auditing -Data can be shared with multiple buyers, reducing the number of audits you’ll need to collect

    • Improve supplier performance – SMETA provides a Corrective Action Plan to help improve supplier performance and resolve issues found in the audit

    • Comply with legislation -SMETA audits facilitate compliance with existing and upcoming legislation

    Why choose us

    Key reasons to select CU India for your SMETA audit:

    Local Expertise:

    CU India has a deep understanding of local labor laws, cultural nuances, and industry practices within India, which allows them to conduct thorough audits that accurately reflect the working conditions at a site.

    Extensive Network:

    With a large team of experienced auditors across India, CU can readily deploy auditors to any location, ensuring timely and efficient audit execution.

    Industry Expertise:

    Their auditors possess specific industry knowledge, which enables them to assess complex issues relevant to different sectors within the Indian market.

    Credibility and Reputation:

    CU is a globally recognized testing and certification body, providing credibility to your SMETA audit results and enhancing your brand image.

    Minimizing Audit Fatigue:

    By leveraging their local knowledge and efficient processes, CU aims to reduce the burden on businesses during SMETA audits.

    Comprehensive Reporting:

    CU India provides detailed and actionable reports that highlight areas of improvement and help companies address potential ethical concerns within their supply chain.

    SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit)

    SMETA is the world’s most widely used audit. Businesses use SMETA to understand and make improvements to working conditions and environmental performance in their business and supply chain. • SMETA is an audit, which helps you to understand standards of labour, health and safety, environmental performance, and ethics within your own operations or at a supplier site. • The SMETA audit is designed to help protect workers from unsafe conditions, overwork, discrimination, low pay, and forced labour.

    URSA – Understanding Responsible Sourcing Audit
    URSA – Understanding Responsible Sourcing Audit

    Audit process URSA standard

    Site registration in ARAVO portal

    The first step is to complete site registration in ARAVO. This system serves as a platform for managing supplier information, qualifications, and compliance with Unilever’s standards and requirements.

    Audit request

    Once registered in ARAVO, you can request an URSA audit for your site. This typically involves submitting a formal request through the ARAVO platform, indicating your readiness and willingness to undergo the audit process.

    Preparation for on-site audit

    After requesting the audit, you will need to prepare your site for the on-site inspection. This may include gathering documentation, ensuring compliance with relevant standards and regulations, and coordinating logistics for the audit visit.

    On-site audit

    Once preparations are complete, auditors from Unilever or an approved auditing firm, such as Control Union, will conduct the on-site audit at your facility. During the audit, they will assess compliance with labor standards, health and safety practices, environmental management, business integrity, and other relevant criteria as per the SMETA and URSA requirements. Key Incidents if found are reported immediately to Unilever.

    Audit reporting

    Following the on-site audit, the auditors will compile their findings and observations into a comprehensive audit report. This report will document areas of compliance, non-compliance, observations, and recommendations for improvement.

    Follow-up actions

    If any non-compliance issues are identified during the audit, you will be required to address them through corrective actions. This may involve implementing remedial measures, updating policies and procedures, or providing additional training to employees.

    Verification and certification

    Once corrective actions have been implemented, auditors may conduct follow-up inspections or reviews to verify compliance. Upon successful completion of the audit process and satisfactory compliance with Unilever and SMETA requirements, your site may receive certification or recognition for meeting the Good Practice Benchmark in responsible sourcing.

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    How can we help you?

    Are you looking for a certain service or do you have any questions about the certification program? Let me know! My name is Nithin Thorat and I’m glad to be of help.

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