Why Social Compliance Audits Are Important ?
Why international retail brands and customers require a social compliance audit for textile Industries and its supply chain in Pakistan or Globally? And what are the core needs to understand the system and its implementation?
Basically , social compliance audit is an intention to regularize and control the effective system of labor practices and workplace conditions in the industries. It is not a product based audit , but it ensures the conditions are safe and satisfactory related to fair labor practices , Health &fire safety , environment , business ethics and social management system , where products are being prepared and processed for the international retail stores and brands.
Targets that export oriented industries set in conducting a Social audit, are business growth and induction of new customers and international brands . However, this is not as easy as intended. Social compliance audit has different requirements which also come with the new businesses. Industries and facility management should understand the requirements and be ready to adapt audit norms.
There are Challenges , which newly or existing export oriented industries encounter for a social Audit . These are different working cultures and set priorities for industrial and labor practices in different regions. This is really a challenge for both international brands and suppliers that they should understand each other requirements and needs. Sometimes Western expectations are considered as “white elephant” in the eyes of Asian textile factories. Because they are very much concerned about future business or orders, which hold them back to run a effective system of social compliance management and its audit requirements but on the other hand , due to unfair labor practices in the industries despite of goods orders from international brands create a distrust and shaky conditions for the collaborative growth in the supply chain as well.
Expectations of international brands from the industries in a social audits are purely based on fair labor practices and working conditions where their brands are associated . They have international goodwill and reputation , which can easily be destroyed by a little act of violating national and international legal and standard practices. If manufacturing facilities are violating the legal and standard requirements , definitely they are attempting a unethical way of business and destroyed the trust level for future businesses. Collaborative growth helps each stakeholders to maintain sustainable targets with great trust level
