What is it
Sedex is an international platform for sharing supplier ethics data, and SMETA is the world's most widely used social audit methodology. The audit covers labour conditions, health and safety, the environment and business ethics. The SMETA report is uploaded to the Sedex platform and is accepted by most European brands and retailers.
Who needs a Sedex/SMETA audit
- Exporters of textiles, food products and consumer goods
- Suppliers of European brands and retail chains
- Enterprises whose customers require a SMETA report on the Sedex platform
- Factories working on contract manufacturing
What your company gets
- A SMETA report uploaded to the Sedex platform and visible to customers
- Access to procurement of brands that require an ethical audit
- Confirmation of compliance with labour and environmental requirements
- Reuse of one audit for several customers
How preparation works
Timeline — from 3 weeks to 2 months, depending on the readiness of documents and working conditions. We set the exact timeline after a preliminary assessment.
Assessment
We run a pre-audit against SMETA requirements: labour, health and safety, environment, ethics
Documentation
We bring HR records, logs, instructions and policies into order
Remediation
We close nonconformities: overtime, PPE, fire safety, contracts
Audit
We support the official SMETA audit and the upload of the report to the Sedex platform
Sedex and SMETA audit in Uzbekistan: a closer look at the ethical audit
The Sedex and SMETA audit in Uzbekistan is increasingly a condition of working with European customers: clothing brands, food retailers and importers require suppliers to prove the ethical standing of their production. For Uzbek textile, garment and food enterprises, passing SMETA is a way to enter the supply chains of major international companies and retain existing contracts.
What are Sedex and SMETA — what is the difference
Sedex (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange) is an online platform where companies store and share labour and production ethics data with customers. SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) is the audit methodology used to assess a site: labour rights, health and safety, environment and business ethics. In short: Sedex is the platform, SMETA is the audit whose report is uploaded to the platform.
SMETA 2-Pillar vs 4-Pillar — which to choose
SMETA 2-Pillar covers the two core pillars: labour and health and safety. SMETA 4-Pillar adds an extended assessment of the environment and business ethics. Most exporters need only 2-Pillar, but some brands explicitly require 4-Pillar — check the requirement in your customer's letter or let us help you determine the right format at the start.
How audit preparation works
Stage 1. Preliminary assessment. We assess the site against the SMETA checklist: employment contracts, working time records, wages, personal protective equipment, fire safety, environmental aspects. Stage 2. Documents and practices. We align HR administration, briefing logs, ethics and OHS policies — similar to the requirements of ISO 45001. Stage 3. Remediation. We close the identified gaps before the auditor's visit. Stage 4. Audit and report. We support the official audit and help with corrective actions and publishing the report on Sedex.
Where a SMETA audit is required
The SMETA report is requested by European clothing and footwear brands, food retailers, dried fruit and canned goods importers, and international trading houses. The Sedex platform allows you to pass one audit and share the report with several customers at once — saving time and money compared with separate audits by each buyer. A similar customer-driven format is the second-party audit.
Timeline and cost of SMETA preparation in Uzbekistan
Preparation takes from 3 weeks to 2 months: the main factor is the state of HR documents and working conditions at the production site. The cost depends on headcount, number of sites and the chosen format (2-Pillar or 4-Pillar). An exact estimate follows the preliminary assessment — free of charge.
Why it is safer with us
We have been preparing Uzbek production sites for international audits for over 15 years and know what SMETA auditors check first: overtime, discrimination, fire safety and payroll transparency. We prepare you to real compliance, not on paper — this reduces the risk of critical nonconformities and a repeat audit.
What it costs
The cost depends on headcount, number of sites and the audit format (2-Pillar or 4-Pillar). Leave a request and within a day we will calculate the exact cost and timeline for your case. The estimate is free and non-binding.