New requirements to SMETA (SEDEX Members Ethical Trade Audit) workforce audits, unveiled this week, will require UK farming and growing business to pay for the recruitment and transportation costs of the seasonal workers they employ.
皇家华人is calling for the change to be paused until there is proper industry consultation, alignment on how it will be fairly implemented and the financial cost impacts and risks to farming and growing businesses are fully understood.
No consultation
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: 鈥淚 am shocked that a decision such as this, which could have detrimental financial implications on our farmers and growers 鈥� already struggling with high input costs, extreme weather events and challenges in the supply chain 鈥� has been decided without the consultation of the people and businesses it will affect.
鈥淲e care deeply about the welfare of the skilled people who come to our country to help produce the nation鈥檚 food and many horticulture and poultry producers have high numbers of workers return to their businesses each year because they are so well valued.
鈥�It is unclear how the change in standard will be applied fairly and transparently across the supply chain.鈥�
NFU President Tom Bradshaw
鈥淧aying the recruitment fees of workers could mean that many businesses are no longer commercially viable and will drive food price inflation.
鈥淚t is unclear how the change in standard will be applied fairly and transparently across the supply chain.
鈥淭ime and time again, we have kept up the drumbeat of the need for fairness in the supply chain, but this total lack of assessment and understanding of how farming and growing businesses will be impacted will undermine that work.
鈥淚t is vital that the proposed changes are paused until there is a full consultation with all stakeholders and a full assessment on the impacts the proposed audit changes will have to the commercial viability of growers, food inflation and UK food security.鈥�
SEDEX (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange) is a non-profit organisation that aims to improve ethical and responsible business practices in global supply chains while SMETA (SEDEX Members Ethical Trade Audit) is the audit methodology created by SEDEX to evaluate a company鈥檚 ethical and responsible business practices.
SMETA also manages performance around labour rights, health and safety, the environment and business ethics.
