Conducted against the compliance standards set forth by Insite, or our clients, social audits include opening and closing meetings with management, observation and physical inspection of the facility, comprehensive document and record review, and confidential worker interviews. We adhere to the International Labor Organization (ILO) standards, United Nations conventions, and regional laws and regulations, and take into consideration all known regional challenges and supplier histories. Using a multi-tiered approach, our compliance specialists employ current and effective auditing methods and techniques to corroborate evidence, applying the cultural sensitivity required for successful social audits. Further, our compliance specialists have the discipline to consider their own inherent cultural biases, biases that might otherwise cause them to overlook basic factory conditions.

Our recommendation to conduct an issue-specific audit is often based on known regional trends (e.g., reliance on migrant workers, a history of ethnic discrimination). It may also be based on a pattern of non-compliance findings for a given vendor/supplier, or an initial audit that calls for closer scrutiny. Issue-specific audits can be used to identify the root cause of uncovered discrimination, to address evidence of forced labor or to address ineffective health and safety procedures.

When issues of non-compliance are discovered, the Insite compliance specialist will report on the context of the finding (e.g., the severity, frequency, or location of the reported events), and provide recommended remediation steps. In some instances, suppliers may be able to satisfy the requirements of their remediation plans by submitting photographs or documentation; often, a follow-up onsite verification audit will be required.

Insite provides onsite security assessments and counsels businesses on the development of effective supply chain security programs to meet the criteria of the U.S. Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism
(C‐TPAT).

A SMETA is conducted as a two- or four-pillar audit: two-pillar audits include health and safety and labor standards, while four-pillar audits include health and safety and labor standards, in addition to business ethics and expanded environment. Also assessed during a SMETA, but not reported on as a compliance issue, are suppliers’ understanding and management of Universal Human Rights.

Because fires can happen at any time, unannounced visits are especially important when it comes to assessing potential hazards. Our fire safety assessments provide a comprehensive review of a facility’s fire and electrical safety and diagnose where immediate or ongoing corrective actions need to occur. These visits consist of a comprehensive evaluation of the factory, warehouses, storage canteens, and dormitories, and focus on fire safety equipment and practices, building maintenance, fire equipment, and electrical equipment upkeep. During the assessment, any immediate concerns are addressed, and potential solutions are provided to factory management.

Management system deficiencies can be a key cause of non-compliance and may lead to systemic and potentially critical issues. All of our compliance specialists are trained to perform root cause analysis to discover underlying causes of non-compliance. To promote transparency they work directly with suppliers, providing them with all the tools they need for improvement and encouraging them to take ownership of the compliance process. At the conclusion of each assessment, Insite formulates a recommended strategy for narrowing any compliance gaps discovered during the factory visit.