Are Supply Chains Truly Ready to Go Beyond Audits?

• The importance of reliable data for CSR strategies

• The many meanings of supply chain sustainability “beyond” audits

• Key components of meaningful supplier audits

Supply Chain Sustainability – Old vs. New

It is common to call for supply chain sustainability to go “beyond” audits, which can mean replacing “boots on the ground” with high-tech solutions, self-assessment, undercover investigations, and more. However, can these new methods fully replace supplier audits as a sustainability tool?

One of the ultimate goals of supply chain sustainability is to have a network of responsible partners that need no policing and little external governance. Mature CRS systems may be ready to take supplier relations to this step – but one cannot forget that those systems have been built on the foundation of field data gathered through factory audits.

What makes for a meaningful audit?

Several important criteria can make the difference between a meaningful audit and a formality. To collect reliable data and make a difference in the long term, a supplier audit must be:

• Regular and recurring

• Independent of brand and supplier

• Equipped with effective checks against corruption

• Conducted by auditors knowledgeable of the market, culture, and language

• Putting workers first

• Semi-announced or surprised

Download the whitepaper to learn more about the challenges faced by supply chain compliance tools, and whether supply chains are truly ready to go “beyond” audits.