The Agricultural Ethics Assurance Association of Zimbabwe (AEAAZ)
Participatory Social Auditing of Labour Standards:
A Handbook for Code of Practice Implementers
THE PURPOSE OF THE HANDBOOK
The concept of a social chapter within a code of practice (COP) is relatively new, with specific requirements for compliance that are equally important as those in the chemical and environmental chapters. Compliance with social requirements – which refer specifically to labour standards relating to working and living conditions – requires social auditing, which is also new and differs markedly from technical auditing in focus, content, parameters and techniques.
This handbook aims to address the following key issues:
- to explain what a social audit is and to stress the concept of process
as a key component of social auditing
- to create awareness and understanding of the need for a participatory
social audit of labour standards, and of the key issues that clearly separate
the technical and social requirements within a COP,
and the consequent implications for social auditing
- to guide the development of the process of participatory social auditing
through all its various stages, giving comprehensive and detailed information
on the use of a participatory methodology, and the specific techniques
and tools used in carrying out a social audit
- to provide adequate and practical training information and materials
for the training of social auditors, focusing on participatory research
skills.
TARGET GROUPS
The primary target group for this handbook is those who are actively involved in the process, such as:
- auditors, both social and technical
- trainers in the areas of social auditing, to ensure an acceptable standardised
methodology and auditing process
- bodies/agencies implementing codes of practice in African, Caribbean
and Pacific (ACP) countries
- producer marketing organisations, which source produce from suppliers
to ensure a continuous supply of products
- technical representatives of supermarkets that import goods from the developing world.
The secondary target group is much larger. The Agricultural Ethics Assurance Association has realised the critical importance of informing all relevant personnel in the entire supply chain, not only of the AEAAZ COP, but also of the auditing strategies used in the process of compliance, both for promotional and awareness-creation purposes.
Using the various links in the supply chain for the dissemination of information will also serve to both strengthen the message and expand the current range of exposure. The following are examples of additional organisations that would be targeted in terms of AEAAZ membership, sharing information and creating awareness of the process:
- producer associations and agricultural service organisations
- employee and employer unions
- relevant industrial national bodies
- relevant government and non-government organisations
- agricultural colleges and universities.
CONTACT DETAILS
Kennedy Chakanyuka
Chair
AEAAZ
Agriculture House, Cnr Adylinn Rd, Marlborough
Drive, PO Box WGT
290, Westgate, Harare
Zimbabwe
kennedy@zol.co.zw
prev
back
