About this course
About this course
The BRCGS Ethical Trade and Responsible Sourcing (ETRS) Programme sets technical and management requirements for sites and supply chains committed to ethical labour practice and responsible sourcing. This three-day virtual programme qualifies auditors to assess conformity against Issue 2.1 of the Standard.
Who should attend
The course is aimed at experienced technical and social audit professionals preparing to take on second-party or third-party ETRS audit work, consultants supporting clients through customer audits and certification, and ethical trade managers with substantial prior audit experience. Some exposure to social audit methodologies such as SMETA is recommended but not required. Brand-owner ethical trade specialists auditing suppliers as part of modern slavery and human rights due diligence programmes also find the content valuable, as do auditors from certification bodies adding the Programme to their existing BRCGS scope.
What the programme covers
Day one covers the Standard at clause level, with attention to the structural differences between ETRS and traditional social audit frameworks. Day two covers audit technique, evidence sampling, confidential worker interview technique, escalation pathways for critical findings, non-conformity writing and grading, and reporting. Day three runs practical audit exercises against simulated site scenarios with structured feedback on technique and findings. The programme gives particular attention to the distinctive audit challenges of ETRS, including confidential worker interview technique in mixed-language workforces, the assessment of grievance mechanism effectiveness, migrant labour risk evaluation, and the interface between ETRS findings and wider modern slavery reporting obligations.
Assessment and certification
The course combines daily assessments with a final written examination and a practical audit exercise. A pass earns the official BRCGS Certificate of Achievement, which certification bodies recognise when registering ETRS auditors to their scheme.
Course format and delivery
The programme runs over three consecutive days in a live virtual format with a BRCGS Approved senior trainer. Sessions combine methodology teaching with structured audit exercises, peer feedback and case study discussion from real ETRS audit findings. Delegates complete pre-course reading and receive detailed audit technique guidance for reference after the programme.
Why this matters
Ethical trade audits require distinctive technique, particularly around confidential worker interviews, migrant labour risk and supplier integration. Formal training reduces subjectivity and supports consistent findings across audit teams. The qualification is also increasingly referenced by brand owners and retailers when appointing ethical trade specialists, and supports auditors competing for second-party audit work on behalf of major food and consumer product businesses. The programme is most valuable when taken after significant prior social audit experience and the Internal Auditor qualification. For wider technical capability, many delegates pair ETRS with the Food Safety Auditor Training or the Sites Training for the relevant BRCGS Standard covering their manufacturing scope.
See the full BRCGS courses and training range for related programmes or contact the team to discuss enrolment.
