Managed Compliance Services

RBA & ESG
Managed
Services

End-to-end RBA CoC v8.0 compliance, SMETA audits, and ESG advisory for Malaysian manufacturers supplying global brands. We handle the audit — you focus on production.

200+
Factories Supported
RBA v8.0
Latest Standard
SMETA
2 & 4-Pillar Audits

Active Compliance Dashboard

Live
RBA CoC v8.0Responsible Business Alliance
Active
SMETA 4-PillarSedex Members Ethical Trade Audit
Active
ESG ReportingEnvironmental, Social & Governance
Ready
HIGG / OEKO-TEXApparel & Textile Standards
Available

RBA CODE OF CONDUCT

Version 8.0 — Current
Labour
No forced / child labour, fair wages, working hours
Health & Safety
OSHA compliance, emergency preparedness
Environment
Emissions, waste, water, energy management
Ethics
Anti-bribery, whistleblower, business integrity
Management System
Continuous improvement, risk assessment, CAPA
Supply Chain
Responsible sourcing, sub-supplier due diligence
5
Core RBA Sections
Understanding RBA

What Is RBA & Why Malaysia?

The Responsible Business Alliance (formerly EICC) Code of Conduct is the world's leading standard for corporate social responsibility in global supply chains — and Malaysia's export manufacturers cannot ignore it.

Global brands like Apple, Dell, HP, Nike, and major European retailers mandate RBA compliance from every tier of their supply chain. For Malaysian factories supplying these buyers, failing an RBA audit means lost business — or being blacklisted entirely.

AP AnDaRaya specialises in preparing Malaysian factories for RBA audits, fixing non-conformances, and maintaining continuous compliance — so you never lose a customer over a failed audit report.

  • RBA CoC v8.0 gap assessment & mock audits
  • CAPA (Corrective Action & Preventive Action) management
  • Worker interview coaching & documentation audits
  • Mandatory local law alignment (Act 446, OSHA 1994)
  • Ongoing compliance monitoring & quarterly reviews
Our Services

RBA & ESG Managed Services

A full-cycle compliance service — from initial gap audit to corrective action implementation and ongoing monitoring.

Gap Assessment & Readiness Audit

We conduct a comprehensive on-site gap analysis against RBA CoC v8.0 and SMETA requirements — identifying every non-conformance before your buyer's auditor does.

RBA v8.0 SMETA On-Site

CAPA & Corrective Action Management

We don't just identify gaps — we fix them. Our team prepares detailed CAPA plans, tracks closure evidence, and submits responses to auditors on your behalf.

CAPA Reports Evidence Tracking

Worker Interview Preparation

Workers are the most critical part of any social audit. We train and brief workers on their rights, entitlements, and audit expectations — ethically and transparently.

Worker Rights Interview Prep

Document & Record Management

Payroll records, SOCSO contributions, leave entitlements, working hours logs, and employment contracts — all audit-ready and compliant with Malaysian labour law.

Act 446 Payroll Contracts

ESG Reporting & Disclosure

We prepare your annual ESG disclosure reports aligned to GRI Standards, Bursa Malaysia ESG Framework, and buyer-specific sustainability scorecards.

GRI Bursa ESG Sustainability

Ongoing Compliance Monitoring

Compliance is not a one-time event. Our retained service includes quarterly internal audits, policy updates, regulatory changes tracking, and buyer requirement management.

Retainer Quarterly Ongoing
Audit Types

Audits We Manage & Prepare You For

Whether your buyer requires RBA VAP, SMETA, HIGG, or a custom social audit — we have the expertise to get you through clean.

Pre-audit preparation & mock interviews
On-site support during actual audit day
Post-audit CAPA submission & closure
RBA VAP Audit
Validated Assessment Program — the official RBA third-party audit used by Apple, Dell, HP, and 100+ major tech and apparel brands.
Most Requested
SMETA 2 & 4-Pillar
Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit — covers Labour, Health & Safety, Environment, and Business Ethics for European and UK buyers.
Widely Required
HIGG FEM / FSLM
Higg Facility Environmental & Social Labor Module for apparel and footwear manufacturers supplying brands like H&M, Levi's, Nike.
Apparel Sector
SA8000
Social Accountability International standard — aligned to ILO conventions, required by socially responsible procurement programmes globally.
Certification
Custom Buyer Audits
Walmart, IKEA, Target, and other major retailers run proprietary supplier audits. We decode their scorecards and prepare you specifically.
Retailer-Specific
ESG Due Diligence
Supporting manufacturers with supply chain due diligence compliance under EU CSDDD and German Supply Chain Act (LkSG) requirements.
EU & Germany
ESG Framework

Environmental, Social & Governance

ESG is no longer optional. Malaysian exporters face increasing ESG disclosure pressure from global buyers, investors, and regulators.

E

Environmental

Measuring and reducing your factory's environmental footprint — from carbon emissions to water usage and waste management.

  • Carbon footprint measurement
  • Energy consumption tracking
  • Water & waste management
  • Environmental KPI reporting
S

Social

Labour rights, worker wellbeing, diversity, and community impact — the S in ESG is where most Malaysian factories face audit risks.

  • Labour rights compliance
  • Forced labour prevention
  • Worker welfare programmes
  • Gender & diversity metrics
G

Governance

Ethics, anti-bribery, whistleblower policies, and management accountability — governance underpins all other ESG pillars.

  • Anti-bribery & corruption policy
  • Whistleblower mechanism
  • Business ethics framework
  • Board-level ESG accountability
Standards & Frameworks

Compliance Standards We Work With

RBA CoC v8.0

Responsible Business Alliance Code of Conduct — the gold standard for electronics & manufacturing supply chains.

SMETA

Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit — 2-pillar and 4-pillar. Accepted by thousands of global buyers.

Employment Act 1955

Malaysian Act 446 — wages, working hours, leave entitlements, contract requirements for all workers.

OSHA 1994 (Act 514)

Occupational Safety & Health Act — hazard identification, HIRARC, PPE, and emergency response.

GRI Standards

Global Reporting Initiative — internationally recognised framework for ESG sustainability disclosures.

SA8000

Social Accountability International standard based on ILO conventions and UN human rights declarations.

HIGG Index

Sustainable Apparel Coalition tools — FEM (environmental) and FSLM (social & labour) modules.

PLKS / Foreign Worker

JTKSM-mandated foreign worker documentation — valid PLKS, FOMEMA, levy, and repatriation bonds.

SMETA Deep-Dive

SMETA Audit Preparation

SMETA is the most widely requested social audit globally — accepted by over 40,000 companies in 180+ countries via the Sedex platform.

A 4-pillar SMETA audit evaluates your facility across Labour, Health & Safety, Environment, and Business Ethics. Malaysian factories routinely fail on overtime hours, recruitment fees, worker contracts, and fire safety. We fix these before your auditor arrives.

Pillar 1 — Labour Child labour, forced labour, working hours, wages, discrimination, disciplinary practices
Pillar 2 — Health & Safety HIRARC, fire safety, PPE, machine guarding, dormitory conditions, first aid
Pillar 3 — Environment Waste disposal, emissions, environmental permits, chemical management
Pillar 4 — Business Ethics Anti-bribery policy, gifts & hospitality, conflicts of interest, whistleblower hotline

SMETA AUDIT CHECKLIST

Key documentation we prepare for your audit

01
Employment ContractsAll nationalities, in worker's language
02
Payroll & Wage Records12-month payslips, overtime calculations
03
Working Hours LogsDaily attendance, overtime hours tracking
04
HIRARC / Safety RecordsHazard register, near-miss reports, drills
05
Recruitment Fee PolicyZero-fee recruitment evidence for migrant workers
06
Grievance MechanismWorker complaint channel, resolution records
07
Environmental PermitsDOE approval, scheduled waste manifests
How It Works

Our Compliance Process

From first contact to clean audit — a structured 5-step managed service.

01

Initial Consultation

We review your buyer requirements, existing documents, and audit history to scope the work.

02

Gap Assessment

On-site audit against RBA / SMETA criteria. Every non-conformance documented with severity rating.

03

CAPA Planning

Detailed corrective action plan with timelines, responsibilities, and root cause analysis.

04

Implementation & Training

We implement fixes — policies, records, training, physical improvements — and prepare workers.

05

Audit Support & Closure

On-site support during buyer's audit. Post-audit CAPA closure and compliance maintenance.

FAQ

Common Questions

What is the difference between RBA and SMETA?
RBA (Responsible Business Alliance) CoC is the standard primarily used by electronics and tech supply chains (Apple, Dell, HP, Samsung). SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) is more common in retail, apparel, and food supply chains (M&S, Primark, Tesco). Both cover Labour, H&S, Environment, and Ethics — but have different questionnaires, scoring, and audit firm requirements. AP AnDaRaya manages both.
My buyer just informed me I need an RBA audit in 3 months. Is that enough time?
3 months is tight but manageable for most factories with no major non-conformances. We've helped factories achieve clean audits in as little as 6 weeks. The critical path is payroll records, working hours logs, and physical safety improvements. We begin immediately after signing — time is the one thing we cannot manufacture.
Does AP AnDaRaya conduct the official audit itself?
No — official RBA VAP and SMETA audits must be conducted by accredited third-party audit firms (like SGS, Intertek, Bureau Veritas). Our role is to prepare your factory so you pass those audits. We act as your compliance partner, not the auditor — ensuring there is no conflict of interest.
We employ foreign workers (Bangladeshi, Nepali, Myanmar). Does this affect our RBA score?
Yes — significantly. RBA places extra scrutiny on migrant worker recruitment practices. Key requirements include: zero recruitment fees charged to workers (or full reimbursement), valid PLKS passes, contracts in the worker's own language, passport freedom (workers must hold their own documents), and fair wage deduction policies. AP AnDaRaya specialises in exactly this area — as a licensed recruitment agency (JTKSM Licence C No. 657), we understand both the compliance and the operational reality.
What is the cost of your RBA managed service?
Pricing depends on factory size, worker headcount, number of non-conformances, and scope of services needed (one-time audit prep vs. ongoing retainer). We offer a free initial consultation and quote. Contact us via WhatsApp or the form below — we typically respond within 2 hours during business hours.
Can you help with ESG reporting for Bursa Malaysia listed companies?
Yes. Bursa Malaysia's mandatory ESG disclosure framework applies to Main Market and ACE Market listed companies. We assist with supply chain social data collection, GRI-aligned sustainability reports, and the labour/social sections of your sustainability statement — particularly the migrant worker and responsible recruitment disclosures increasingly expected by investors.

Ready to Pass Your Next Audit?

Don't wait for a failed audit report. Get ahead — contact AP AnDaRaya today for a free compliance consultation.