Capacity · Social · Technical · Environmental
60-90 points per audit type
BSCI · Sedex SMETA · SA8000 · ISO 9001
Avg. 12 yrs each, in-house
≤ 5 working days
$650-1,400 per audit
Capacity audit — can the factory actually deliver your program?
The capacity audit verifies what a factory can produce at what speed, with what consistency. We map machine count and type, daily production volume by SKU class, current order book and free capacity, raw material lead times, sub-contracting practices, and historical on-time delivery performance. The output is a one-page capacity statement plus a 12-month capacity calendar.
Most failed sourcing relationships trace back to a missed capacity audit. A factory that quotes a 35-day lead time on a sample run will quietly stretch to 90 days when the bulk PO clashes with their existing order book — and you find out via a port-call delay, not a phone call. A capacity audit forces that conversation up-front.
Social compliance — BSCI, Sedex SMETA, SA8000
Social audits verify labour practices: working hours (ILO 60-hour weekly cap), child labour (zero tolerance), wages (state minimum + overtime), grievance procedures, freedom of association, health and safety. We run audits aligned to the buyer's preferred standard:
- BSCI 2.0 — the European retail default. Two-day on-site, includes management interviews + 20-30 worker interviews.
- Sedex SMETA 4-pillar — labour, H&S, environment, business ethics. Two-day on-site.
- SA8000 — the most rigorous; required by some US retailers and many sustainability-focused brands.
- Custom buyer code — we map any buyer's bespoke code of conduct to a standardised checklist.
Technical audit — quality systems, process controls, equipment
Technical audits assess whether a factory's quality systems are mature enough to deliver against a brief. Checklist includes:
- ISO 9001 / 14001 / 45001 certification status and validity.
- In-process inspection procedures — sampling frequency, defect-classification matrix, CAPA system.
- Raw material traceability — supplier list, batch records, incoming-goods inspection.
- Tooling and calibration — last calibration date on critical instruments, traceable to national standards.
- Training records — operator competency for each process step.
- Sample / first-article approval process.
Environmental audit
Environmental audits verify wastewater discharge (ZLD compliance for textile mills), air emissions (boiler/kiln stack monitoring), hazardous waste handling, chemical inventory (REACH / RSL compliance), and energy consumption metrics. For brands pursuing FSC, GOTS, GRS or B Corp status these audits are often a prerequisite.
How an audit unfolds — typical timeline
A typical capacity + social combined audit follows this sequence:
Frequently asked
FactoryAuditIndia—commonquestions.
What's the difference between a factory audit and a quality inspection?
An audit assesses the factory's systems and capability — it answers 'is this factory fit to make my products consistently?'. An inspection assesses a specific production lot — 'do these specific goods meet my spec?'. Audits are typically annual; inspections are per-PO.
Are your audits recognised by BSCI / Sedex?
We are not a BSCI/Sedex member-audit body (only 5 such bodies are accredited globally). However, our audits are conducted to BSCI 2.0 / SMETA 4-pillar checklists by auditors trained in those standards, and our reports are accepted by many retailers as second-party verification. For formal BSCI certification, we coordinate with member-audit bodies.
Can a factory pass an audit but still produce poor quality?
Yes — capacity and compliance are necessary but not sufficient. That's why we pair audits with first-article approval and AQL inspection on the first 2-3 POs. A passed audit + a clean inspection record over 2-3 POs is the true qualification standard.
How long is an audit report valid?
Capacity audits: 12 months. Social audits: 12 months (BSCI/Sedex policy). Technical audits: 24 months unless major process changes occur. We recommend re-auditing annually for active factories.
Can I see a sample audit report?
Yes — write to hello@asiasourcing.co.in with your buyer profile and we'll share a redacted sample report covering the audit type relevant to your category.
Where this fits
Adjacentservices,categoriesandclusters.
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