Audit Site Access
The ability of Verisio auditors to conduct a credible social compliance audit depends on factory management’s cooperation and willingness to provide auditors access to employees for confidential interviewing, documentation for review (including payroll and attendance records) and access to all areas of the factory for visual observation. Any key staff to facilitate with (payroll, HR and H&S should be available to assist during the audit window.
Booking Lead Time
Request for audit should be made 30 calendar days prior to the desired audit date, but Verisio will always try to accommodate any urgent audits.
Audit Request
Audits shall be undertaken during a period of high employment numbers of at least 60% of the workforce, and when the employment site is in full operation (such as peak production or harvest). Audits shall not take place during low season or below 60% of the peak workforce. Any changes to workforce numbers that result in changes to the auditor days shall be reported to the audit firm to review audit plan.
Notification of an Audit
It is recommended that audits are semi-announced, the audit window shall be between 3 weeks and 2 months.
Report Turnaround Time Scope
Final audit report will be sent via e-mail to the pre-designated party within 5 working days. SMETA will be submitted on the Sedex platform with a maximum of 15 days turnaround time, as per the Minimum Requirements. Audit findings are based on crosschecking data gathered from visual observation, confidential worker interviews, management interviews, and documentation review.
Audit Management Fee
General administration fee for audit scheduling, preparation and report writing.
Distribution of Worker Interview Information
To effectively execute the audit, confidential worker interviews are undertaken. It is Verisio’s position to ensure that workers of factories will not be retaliated against comments or information obtained during the auditing process. In absence of objective evidence and to ensure the integrity of the audit process, Verisio reserves the right to non-disclosure of information obtained from workers to the factory. Therefore, information obtained from interviews will be kept confidential and may not be included in the final audit report.
By accepting these terms and conditions you authorise Verisio to communicate, where applicable worker interview information that may not be contained in the final report to the payee of the audit and/or the master client/retailer who owns the Code of Conduct programme.
Audit Day
8 hours spent working on site with half hour break and in compliance with local labour law.
Normal Working Day
Mon – Fri (or in compliance with local labour law and customs)
Express Service
Rush / ASAP booking within 7 days from desired audit date. If an audit requires multiple audit days, Verisio might send more than one auditor to accommodate the audit as soon as possible
Access Denied Charge
Scheduled audit or assessment was not performed due to factory management not allowing Verisio staff to enter or conduct the audit or assessment for reasons outside the control of Verisio staff. The client/site will be invoiced in full, including audit day fee(s) and all expenses incurred.
Cancellation Charge
Cancellation of the audit within less than 10 working days from scheduled audit day audit will be invoiced for at 50% of audit day fee and all expenses incurred.
Cancellation of the audit less than 48 hours from scheduled audit. Invoiced in full including audit day fee(s) and all expenses incurred.
Extra Travel Time Charge
1. If travel is required on the day before or the day after the audit
2. Waiting time day before or day after the audit date due to the lack of transport resources – up to 4 hours: additional 0.5 audit day
3. Holidays and Weekends will vary depending on local law and customs. A surcharge may be applied for work and travel on such days.
4. Total travel day/ audit – 1-2 hrs – additional half day. 3-4 hrs – additional day. With each additional 2hrs travel thereafter accounting for an additional half day
Flight Charge
Cost of air travel for economy class – invoiced at actual cost
Travel Expense
Cost of travel expense other than air. Invoiced at cost or in accordance with pre-approved travel cost as per quotation
Accommodation Expense
– If travel is required on the day before or the day after the audit
– If the audit requires 2 or more days to complete
Liability
In both cases, invoiced at cost or in accordance with pre- approved travel cost
General Conditions Confidentiality
Neither party will be liable to the other party for indirect, incidental, special, punitive or consequential damages, including damages for lost opportunities, lost profits from this Agreement or any other transaction, or lost savings, even if such damages were foreseeable or result from a breach of this Agreement.
All activities of Verisio Ltd are governed by the Optimus management system which can be provided upon request.
Verisio shall retain copies/photos of at the audit reports and critical documents when the local law or the site allows for a minimum of two years, or longer if agreed with the audit requestor or if required by law.
Dispute of Findings
Auditors will make every effort while on site to solve any disputes, but these can also be raised after the audit either via to Sedex platform or by contacting Verisio on bookings@verisio.global to address the issue
Payment Terms
14 Days
All invoices must be either fully paid prior to the audit taking place or the audit requestor can pay 50% of the invoice value prior to the audit with the remaining 50% being sent on the day of the audit.
Professional Fees
SEDEX professional fees will be charged to all SMETA. APSCA levy fee will be added to all audits where a social compliance audit has been carried out.