A crucial step in the registration process at Sedex is completing the self-assessment questionnaire in order to keep the profile up to date. Until recently, such a questionnaire used to be called SAQ. However, now Sedex has updated its questionnaire to ESAQ, leaving many suppliers, exporters, and compliance officers confused about how ESAQ is different from SAQ and whether their old answers can be applied to the new questionnaire. This article focuses on the analysis of Sedex SAQ vs ESAQ, their differences, and similarities.
What is Sedex Used For? A Quick Primer Before Comparing Sedex SAQ vs ESAQ
The Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (Sedex) is an online tool for collecting, exchanging, and managing companies’ data on labor, health and safety, environment, and business ethics. The Sedex platform is utilized by retailers, brands, and buyers in order to assess the ethically responsible sourcing practices of the suppliers within the supply chain. The Sedex membership is quite common among producers of food products, textiles, agricultural products, and exporters in particular when buyers have to know something about factories and farms before ordering.
In the above situation, the self-assessment questionnaire is the starting point. This is the form completed by every supplier providing data on their facilities, employees, and management. The understanding of the difference between Sedex SAQ vs ESAQ starts from here.
What is Sedex SAQ
The Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) became the first survey that Sedex members had to fill out to provide the necessary information about the operations, workforce structure, policies and compliance of their businesses. The questionnaire included sections about company information, site information, employment information and lots of yes/no and descriptive questions about the problems that are associated with labor standards, health and safety, environmental management and business ethics.
The most important thing about the Self-Assessment Questionnaire was that it was supposed to provide standardized information about suppliers’ activities before a third party audit takes place. It was used as a risk assessment tool, not as a compliance verification process since all the information came from the supplier.
What is ESAQ in Sedex
The ESAQ or Enhanced Self-Assessment Questionnaire is the newly developed format of the SAQ developed by Sedex. It has been introduced in place of the former SAQ. In this format, the same information is collected from the user like in the SAQ, but the ESAQ contains questions in a logical manner by taking into account the type of site, the sector of the site, and the answers entered previously.
The ESAQ has better explanatory texts for all the questions along with proper validation of user responses and good correlation with SMETA audit requirements.
Sedex SAQ vs ESAQ: Key Differences Explained
The table below sets out the practical differences between the two questionnaires.
| Aspect | Sedex SAQ (Legacy) | Sedex ESAQ (Current) |
|---|---|---|
| Question Flow | Fixed, linear sequence for all members | Dynamic, adjusts based on site type and prior answers |
| Relevance Filtering | Limited; many sections applied regardless of fit | Skips questions that don’t apply to the site |
| Guidance Provided | Minimal in-form guidance | Contextual help text alongside most questions |
| Data Validation | Basic format checks | Stronger validation to reduce inconsistent entries |
| Link to SMETA Audit | Indirect; separate audit checklist | Closely aligned with SMETA audit criteria |
| Availability | Retired for new submissions | Current standard questionnaire on the platform |
In conclusion, the SAQ and ESAQ have no difference regarding the topics covered by Sedex, as both questionnaires involve the same four pillars, but have some differences when it comes to the structure and validity of the questionnaires.
How Does the Sedex SAQ Work? Steps Behind the Legacy Process
Prior to the establishment of ESAQ, all Sedex members who utilized the SAQ process did so in a similar fashion. These suppliers were registered on the Sedex portal, associated themselves with the buyer, and subsequently conducted the following activities.
- Site registration is carried out at Sedex in order to get an SSR number.
- The process includes provision of information regarding the firm and the site including its size, ownership, and kind of products.
- Provide answers to all the questions related to labor practice, health and safety, environment, and business ethics.
- Submit the completed SAQ to the buyer or buyers who have asked for the SAQ.
- Keep updating the SAQ anytime it is needed or when requested by the buyer before auditing.
This process made sure that the buyer had a basic understanding of the processes of the supplier, which later on was further checked using a SMETA audit.
What are the 4 Pillars of Sedex? Their Role in Sedex SAQ vs ESAQ
SAQ and ESAQ are both four common pillars which constitute the basis of Sedex membership and SMETA audit. Four common pillars shall remain unchanged in the process of transition from Sedex SAQ to ESAQ.
- Labour Standards: working hours, remuneration, freedom of association, and protection from any form of forced or child labor.
- Health and Safety: occupational health and safety, emergency preparedness, and well-being of workers.
- Environment: resource efficiency, waste treatment, and environmental licenses.
- Business Ethics: business ethics and integrity.
Since the pillars have not changed, it means that most of the information that the supplier has about the structural format of SAQ still stands for the ESAQ, and the only thing that has changed is the way it is structured.
Why Did Sedex Replace SAQ with ESAQ
The reason why there is such a substitution from SAQ to ESAQ is just that of the problems encountered in the accuracy of data in the old method. The old SAQ survey was made up of the same set of questions posed to all people without regard to whether they belonged to manufacturing or service and whatever factory they owned.
- Eliminate confusion and irrelevancy by organizing questions according to the characteristics of the website.
- Ensure the accuracy of the data supplied by users through implementing more effective validation techniques.
- Bring the process of self-evaluation closer to the process of SMETA audit conducted after it.
- Let the buyer evaluate the risks inherent to the information of suppliers.
Benefits of the Sedex ESAQ Compared to the Legacy SAQ
- Higher efficiency because of the possibility to skip some of the questions as not relevant.
- Clarity in instructions reduces the number of misunderstandings concerning the questions.
- Higher conformity to the SMETA audit checklist facilitates preparation for the audit.
- Validation of the data results in higher reliability of the initial position of the buyer in terms of his risk assessment.
- Single format solves the issue of keeping the data in two formats.
Key Takeaways
- Sedex SAQ vs ESAQ may be regarded as a contrast between the old form used for the self-assessment and the new one which has been implemented by Sedex in 2023.
- The former had a static and mainly linear structure, whereas the latter contains dynamic and conditional questions.
- Both forms contain the same classification of problems according to the four Sedex pillars, such as labour, health and safety, environment, and business ethics.
- Sedex made the decision to substitute the old form with the new one owing to the increased accuracy, fewer irrelevant questions, and better compliance with SMETA audit.
- All Sedex members were required to convert their previous answers to the new form, and all new members are using only ESAQ now.
Sedex SAQ vs ESAQ
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FAQs on Sedex SAQ vs ESAQ
What is the difference between SAQ and ESAQ in Sedex?
Unlike the SAQ, which had a fixed list of questions for all members, the ESAQ has variable questions according to the profile of the site and has a closer relation to the SMETA auditing.
What is Sedex SAQ?
Sedex SAQ was the initial form of self-assessment questionnaire where the member used to describe their site practices regarding labor, safety, environmental and ethics issues.
What is ESAQ in Sedex?
ESAQ is the advanced version of the SAQ where the questions vary according to the profile of the site and have dynamic nature.
How does the Sedex SAQ work?
It would work via the process of site registration, company/site information and answers on four pillars, then submit and the buyers could access it.
What is the primary purpose of the Sedex SAQ?
The main aim of Sedex SAQ was to provide an initial assessment of the suppliers’ practices without any independent assessment.
What are the 4 pillars of Sedex?
The four pillars are labor standards, health and safety, environment, and business ethics, and both SAQ and ESAQ are based on these pillars.
Why did Sedex replace SAQ with ESAQ?
Sedex decided to substitute SAQ for ESAQ to eliminate unnecessary questions and increase consistency of the data collection process.
