Supply Chain
Deep Dive
What Audits Evaluate
Fashion compliance audits typically assess: labor rights (wages, working hours, child labor, forced labor, freedom of association), health and safety (fire safety, structural integrity, machine guarding, chemical handling), environmental practices (waste management, water treatment, emissions), management systems (documentation, corrective action processes), and ethical business practices (no bribery, accurate record-keeping). Audits may be announced or unannounced, with unannounced audits providing more accurate pictures of actual conditions.
The Audit Ecosystem
Fashion compliance auditing involves multiple stakeholders: brands set requirements through codes of conduct, third-party audit firms (Bureau Veritas, SGS, Intertek, ELEVATE) conduct inspections, industry initiatives (amfori BSCI, WRAP, SMETA) provide standardized audit protocols, and multi-stakeholder organizations (Fair Labor Association, Better Work) offer enhanced monitoring. The proliferation of audit standards has led to “audit fatigue” among suppliers facing multiple audits from different clients.
Beyond Auditing
The industry increasingly recognizes that traditional compliance auditing alone is insufficient. Audits capture a moment in time and can be gamed by factories. Progressive approaches supplement auditing with worker voice technology (anonymous hotlines and surveys), continuous monitoring systems, supplier capability building programs, and responsible purchasing practices that give suppliers the economic stability to invest in compliance improvements.
OSF Perspective
OSF advocates for compliance auditing as a necessary but insufficient tool. Real supply chain responsibility requires moving beyond periodic inspections toward continuous engagement, transparent relationships, and purchasing practices that make compliance economically viable for suppliers.
Related Terms
Ethical Sourcing | Traceability | Quality Control | Sourcing
Notable Brands
Bureau Veritas, SGS, Better Work (ILO), amfori BSCI