NZ Juice Group (Hastings) SMETA Compliance Close-Out

Project Overview

NZ Juice Group engaged Navigate Food to support the close-out of corrective actions arising from a SMETA social compliance audit conducted at their Hastings manufacturing site.

The audit identified a significant number of non-conformances requiring formal response, procedural development, and on-site implementation within a defined remediation window. Navigate Food was appointed to lead the documentation, prioritisation, and operational execution required to achieve full close-out within the required timeframe.

Project Objectives

• Develop and implement procedures and policies addressing SMETA audit findings

• Support on-site implementation of corrective actions

• Ensure responses were formally submitted via the SEDEX platform

• Prioritise and remediate business-critical risks first

• Achieve full close-out of all non-conformances within 90 days

  
  

Navigate Food’s Role

Navigate Food provided hands-on compliance and operational support across both documentation and implementation phases.

Key activities included:

• Non-conformance response management

  • Responded to and resolved 40 non-conformances

  • Managed submissions through the SEDEX data platform

  • Developed corrective action evidence and closure documentation

• Risk prioritisation

  • Identified business-critical and high-risk issues

  • Implemented immediate corrective actions where required

• Procedure and policy development

  • Authored new procedures aligned to SMETA requirements

  • Updated existing policies to meet audit expectations

• Health & Safety support

  • Assisted with H&S assessments linked to audit findings

  • Supported risk mitigation and compliance alignment

• Training and capability uplift

  • Delivered targeted staff training

  • Ensured procedural adoption and operational understanding

• Data gathering and evidence collation

  • Collected records, logs, and supporting documentation

  • Prepared evidence packs for auditor review

    
    

Timeframe

Corrective action close-out window: 90 days

Navigate Food managed planning, execution, and submission to meet this fixed deadline.

Outcome

• All 40 non-conformances closed within the 90-day remediation window

• Successful submission and acceptance via SEDEX

• Strengthened site compliance systems and documentation

  
  

Client Impact

By embedding both procedural structure and on-site implementation support, NZ Juice Group achieved not only audit close-out but a stronger, more resilient compliance framework.

Navigate Food’s involvement ensured corrective actions were not just documented — but operationalised, understood, and sustainable.