Ethical & Halal Sourcing Verification System
This criterion evaluates the robustness and effectiveness of the organization's system for verifying the ethical and Halal compliance of its supply chain. It assesses the organization's commitment to ensuring that all products and services are sourced and produced in accordance with Islamic principles and ethical standards, encompassing fair labor practices, animal welfare (where applicable), environmental sustainability, and the avoidance of haram (forbidden) elements. The evaluation covers the entire supply chain, from raw materials to finished products, and includes processes for supplier selection, auditing, traceability, and continuous improvement. Crucially, this criterion distinguishes between general ethical sourcing (applicable to all archetypes) and specific Halal integrity controls for consumables (food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals). It mandates due diligence to prevent fraud, mislabelling, and exploitation, ensuring the organization acts as a truthful merchant. Governance mechanisms, including Board/Trustee oversight and defined accountability (RACI), ensure that these standards are upheld to block the means (Sadd al-Dhara'i) of corruption or prohibited consumption.
| Metric | Supply Chain Integrity Suite |
|---|---|
| Target | 100% for High Risk |
| Frequency | Quarterly |
| Method | Composite of: (1) % High-risk suppliers with valid audit/cert, (2) % Traceability tests passed <4hrs, (3) % Non-conformances closed on time |
| Unit | Composite Score |
Level 1: Initial/Ad-hoc
Initial: No formal verification system; reactive approach to sourcing; significant risk of Halal or ethical non-compliance.
Level 2: Developing
Managed: Basic policy exists with ad-hoc checks; reliance on supplier declarations without independent verification; weak contract clauses.
Level 3: Established
Defined: Documented system with approved certifier lists, basic traceability for critical ingredients, and regular supplier questionnaires, but lacks deep Tier-2 verification.
Level 4: Advanced
Proactive: Robust system with risk-based audits (High-risk audited annually), validated traceability (<4 hours), and full integration of ethical due diligence.
Level 5: Optimizing
Optimizing: Comprehensive system with >95% high-risk supplier coverage, published integrity results, multi-tier mapping, and industry leadership in ethical standards.
Organisation Types
By Organisation Size
| Size | Applicability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Micro | exempt | Disproportionate; lacks staff and formal departments for RACI matrices or dedicated officers. |
| Small | exempt | Too small for dedicated QA/Marketing RACI or formal integrity officers; basic supplier checks suffice. |
| Medium | partial | Can designate a staff member or trustee for halal oversight and board reporting, but formal RACI across QA/Marketing is likely too complex. |
| Large | full | |
| Major | full |
Applicable When
- The organization sources physical goods or materials.
- The organization makes Halal or ethical claims about its products.
- The organization is a charity handling donor funds for aid/goods.
Not Applicable When
- The organization deals exclusively in non-physical services (e.g., pure software consultancy) with no physical supply chain.
- The organization has no external suppliers (100% vertical integration - rare).
Related Criteria
Discussion (1)
📋 **Version updated: 1.0.0 → 2.9.7** **Changes:** Updated islamic_references from mizan-297.json
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