Social audits & assessments
DNV’s social audits provide independent verification that you and your suppliers and partners operate ethically, ensuring compliance, transparency, and accountability across high-impact sectors.
Social audits & assessments
Rising pressure for ethical and transparent supply chains
As global supply chains become more complex and geographically dispersed, companies face growing expectations to ensure ethical behaviour at every level. Legislators, customers, and consumers demand proof of responsible sourcing, respect for human rights, and compliance with labour laws.
Increasing regulations, public scrutiny, and ESG priorities mean that demonstrating ethical and sustainable practices is no longer optional – it's a business imperative. In this environment, social audits are essential to build trust, reduce risk, and ensure long-term supply chain resilience.
Tailored social audits to meet your compliance and ESG goals
DNV provides second- and third-party social audits and assessments tailored to the unique needs of your sector and operating environment. Whether you're in automotive manufacturing, food processing, medical device assembly, rail infrastructure, aquaculture operations, or general industry, we adapt our audit approach to your context.
We assess compliance with:
- Local and international labour laws.
- Human rights frameworks.
- Customer codes of conduct.
- Industry-specific sustainability and ESG criteria.
Audits can focus on a wide range of areas including:
- Human rights, working hours, and fair labour conditions.
- Health, safety, and worker well-being.
- Environmental practices and community impact.
- Living wages and social protections.
- Anti-discrimination and grievance mechanisms.
- Community engagement and stakeholder relations.
- Responsible sourcing and social protections.
Our audits can follow internationally recognized frameworks such as:
- SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit).
- SA8000.
- Responsible Business Alliance (RBA).
- Initiative for Compliance and Sustainability (ICS).
- RSCI (Responsible Sourcing Chain Initiative).
- Conducted according to your own internal protocols.
Whether addressing high-risk geographies, strategic suppliers, or regulatory compliance, our auditors provide independent, credible insights that help you manage risk and drive ethical performance.
A trusted global partner across critical industries
DNV brings decades of operational, auditing, and compliance experience across complex, high-risk sectors. From medical manufacturing facilities to offshore aquaculture farms, and from railway infrastructure to food packaging plants, our auditors understand the specific risks, cultural nuances, and regulatory requirements that matter most in your industry.
We combine this deep domain knowledge with a robust digital infrastructure, allowing you to monitor audit progress, close non-conformities, and generate meaningful ESG insights. With our global-local presence, you benefit from consistent standards and local execution – ensuring credible, actionable outcomes every time. Shape
Benefits of our social audits
- Demonstrate ethical compliance and ESG goals to regulators, customers, investors, and stakeholders.
- Identify and mitigate human rights, social, and labour risks in the supply chain.
- Reduce reputational, financial, and operational risks.
- Improve worker safety, health, and engagement.
- Avoid redundant audits and reduce costs through streamlined audit programs.
- Enhance ESG performance and sustainability credentials.
- Support global compliance efforts including SMETA, SA8000, RBA, ICS, RSCI and customized social audits
- Drive continuous improvement and supplier development.
Discover our reports on social compliance and ethical sourcing
Access DNV’s latest resources and insights on building transparent, responsible, and sustainable supply chains.
Download the 2024 Sustainable Food Supply Chain Report
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Social and ethical audits
Social and ethical audits help you confirm that companies in your value chain operate in accordance with laws, regulations, international standards and best practices on how to treat workers decently and respect human rights.
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