Sedex launches industry-first virtual social assessment, enabling businesses to continue monitoring supply chains and people’s working conditions during COVID-19

• Responsible business membership organisation Sedex has launched a virtual social assessment tool for COVID-19-era supply chain assessment.

• The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted and increased scrutiny on supply chains, but simultaneously made supply chain assessment harder as safety measures restrict access to sites for social auditing.

• The Virtual Assessment uses video technology to allow social auditors to assess site performance remotely, so that brands can ensure suppliers are maintaining a high level of safety and labour standards for their workers during the pandemic.

• Using Virtual Assessment allows businesses to continue supplier assessment, identify and manage supply chain risks, enabling them to increase supply chain transparency and build a present picture of the impacts to suppliers and workers.

“Sedex is pleased to offer the first available virtual assessment tool to our members. We were keen to support businesses in continuing to assess sites despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and moved quickly to develop Virtual Assessment as a solution. We’ll continue to invest in and develop this technology and see it as a significant part of our strategy going forward.”
Simon McCalla, CEO, Sedex

Virtual Assessment is aligned to Sedex’s existing audit methodology, SMETA, which covers health and safety, labour standards, business ethics and environmental areas, allowing for seamless integration with members’ existing data on the Sedex platform.

Please find more information in the attached release.

Media contact
For additional data, insight and commentary please contact:
Jessica McGoverne, Director of Corporate Affairs

Email: Jessica.mcgoverne@sedex.com

Phone: +44 (0) 7465 975 306

About Sedex
Sedex is a global membership organisation that empowers companies to implement responsible business practices and policies in their business and supply chain to build responsible supply chains.

Sedex provides businesses with practical tools and resources to operate ethically, source responsibly and work with their suppliers to create fair working conditions for the people who make their products and services. Over 60,000 businesses use Sedex to manage business risk, meet compliance and drive positive impacts for people and the environment. Visit our website for more information. More details on the Virtual Assessment can be found here.