The production facility where DST-Pack packaging is manufactured has completed a SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) and is now a registered member of the SEDEX platform. This means DST-Pack’s production meets the ethical sourcing, labor, health and safety, environmental, and business ethics standards that global brands, major retailers, and licensed IP holders require from their packaging suppliers.
For brands that have been unable to work with DST-Pack due to supply chain compliance requirements — this changes that.
What SEDEX and SMETA Actually Mean
SEDEX (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange) is the world’s leading platform for sharing responsible sourcing data across supply chains. It is a membership-based, non-profit organization used by over 85,000 companies in more than 180 countries to manage and share information about ethical and responsible business practices across their supplier networks.
SMETA — the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit — is the world’s most widely used social audit methodology. It was developed by SEDEX members to create a single, standardized framework for assessing ethical performance across global supply chains. A SMETA audit is conducted by an independent, SEDEX-approved auditor who visits the production site in person and assesses it across four pillars:
Labor standards — working hours, wages, contracts, freedom of association, no child labor, no forced labor. The audit verifies that everyone involved in producing your packaging is working under fair, legal, and humane conditions.
Health and safety — workplace safety conditions, fire safety, emergency preparedness, protective equipment, and safe working environments throughout the production process.
Environment — waste management, pollution control, resource usage, and environmental compliance with local and international standards.
Business ethics — anti-bribery, anti-corruption, and fair business practices throughout the organization.
The audit report is uploaded directly to the SEDEX platform, where it can be accessed and verified by any buyer who requests it. One audit, transparently shared — which is why SMETA has become the global standard rather than a collection of separate proprietary audits from individual brands.
Why This Matters for the Brands We Can Work With
Global consumer brands, major retailers, and licensed intellectual property holders have strict ethical sourcing requirements for every supplier in their production chain — including packaging suppliers. A brand like Disney, Universal, Warner Bros., LEGO, or Hasbro cannot place their IP on packaging produced by a supplier who has not been independently audited for labor standards, safety, and ethical compliance. The same applies to major retailers: Walmart, Target, Costco, John Lewis, Carrefour, and most large European supermarket chains mandate SEDEX membership and SMETA audit results from their packaging suppliers before any order can be placed.
For luxury and fashion houses — LVMH, Kering, Richemont brands, and others — ethical supply chain compliance is now a non-negotiable baseline, not a differentiator. Their procurement teams will not progress a supplier conversation without verified SMETA audit results on the SEDEX platform.
DST-Pack’s SMETA audit means we now meet this baseline. Brands and retailers that require verified ethical sourcing documentation from their packaging suppliers can request our audit results directly through the SEDEX platform.
What This Opens Up
Licensed IP packaging. Packaging that carries registered intellectual property — characters, trademarks, logos, or brand imagery owned by entertainment companies, sports organizations, or consumer brands — requires the entire supply chain to meet ethical sourcing standards. SMETA compliance is typically the minimum requirement. DST-Pack can now produce custom packaging for licensed product ranges, promotional collections, and branded merchandise programs that carry third-party IP.
Major retail supply chains. Brands selling through Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Costco, Boots, Sainsbury’s, Carrefour, or any other large retailer that operates an ethical sourcing program will need their packaging supplier to be SEDEX registered. DST-Pack now meets that requirement.
Corporate sustainability programs. Large corporations with published ESG commitments increasingly require their packaging suppliers to provide verified ethical sourcing documentation. Our SMETA audit results are accessible on the SEDEX platform for any buyer who requests them.
EU and UK regulatory compliance. SMETA audit results connect directly to compliance requirements under the UK Modern Slavery Act, the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG), and the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). For brands operating across European markets that are building documented ethical supply chain programs, working with SMETA-audited suppliers is an increasingly important requirement.
Pharma and healthcare-adjacent packaging. Healthcare and pharmaceutical companies have particularly rigorous supplier qualification requirements. SEDEX membership and SMETA compliance is a standard component of supplier qualification in this sector.
What the Audit Assessed
DST-Pack’s production facility completed a 4-pillar SMETA audit — covering labor standards, health and safety, environment, and business ethics — the most comprehensive scope available under the SMETA methodology.
The audit was conducted by an independent SEDEX-approved Affiliate Audit Company (AAC) through an in-person site assessment of our manufacturing facility. The auditor reviewed documentation, records, policies, processes, and working conditions across all relevant areas. The full audit report and Corrective Action Plan Report (CAPR) are available to verified buyers through the SEDEX platform.
For Buyers Who Require SEDEX Documentation
If your procurement process requires SEDEX registration and SMETA audit documentation from packaging suppliers, DST-Pack is now able to fulfill that requirement. Our SEDEX member ID and audit report are available upon request for buyers conducting supplier qualification.
To request our SEDEX documentation or to discuss a packaging project that requires ethically audited production, contact us directly.
DST-Pack’s Commitment to Ethical Production
Completing the SMETA audit at our production facility is not a box-ticking exercise for DST-Pack. It reflects the way we believe packaging should be made — with full transparency about the conditions under which it is produced, the people involved in making it, and the environmental impact of the process.
As the packaging industry moves toward greater supply chain accountability — driven by regulation, retailer requirements, and consumer expectations — we believe that verified ethical compliance will become a standard expectation for every packaging supplier, not a premium credential. DST-Pack is committed to maintaining and improving our SMETA compliance as the standard evolves.
For brands that care about where their packaging comes from and how it is made, we welcome the scrutiny.
Work With a SMETA-Audited Packaging Manufacturer
Whether you are sourcing packaging for a licensed product range, building a retail supply chain that requires verified ethical sourcing, or simply want a packaging partner whose production standards have been independently verified — DST-Pack is ready to work with you.
