If you have started selling to retailers in the EU, UK, US or Australia, you have probably been asked about your factory's ethical credentials. One of the most recognised answers is a SMETA audit. Here is what it is, what it covers, and why it matters for your brand.
SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) is one of the most widely used ethical audit programmes for factories. It is managed by Sedex, a global platform that helps businesses assess and improve working conditions in their supply chains. A SMETA audit is carried out by an independent, approved auditor who visits the factory and checks it against a set of ethical trade standards.
A full SMETA audit covers four pillars:
Some audits are two-pillar (labour + health & safety) and some are four-pillar. Four-pillar is the more complete and widely requested version.
For brands, working with a SMETA-audited factory makes retailer onboarding significantly easier. Many department stores and e-commerce platforms request supplier compliance documentation before they will list your products. An up-to-date audit report answers those questions up front, shortens approval time, and gives you confidence — and evidence — that your production is ethical.
Ask the factory for its audit summary and verify it on the Sedex platform. A reputable factory will share this openly. Our factory in Guangzhou is SMETA audited, and you can see more about our production standards on our factory page.
A certificate is a starting point, not the whole story. The best suppliers treat ethics as part of daily operations — transparent working hours, regular inspections and honest communication. If sustainability and compliance are priorities for your brand, ask us about our audit details and how we run our floor; we are happy to walk you through it.
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