SQAS-AFRICA
Raising Safety & Quality Standards
SQAS-AFRICA (Safety & Quality Assessment for Sustainability – AFRICA) is a standardised evaluation system for logistics service providers. It assesses safety, health, environment, quality (SHEQ), security and corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance. Conducted by CAIA-certified independent auditors, it streamlines compliance and supports continuous improvement under Responsible Care®.
The system applies to four key categories in the chemicals value chain
- Transport services
- Tank cleaning
- Warehousing
- Spill response
- Audits are conducted by neutral, independent professionals.
- Confidentiality agreements ensure data protection.
- Auditor allocation considers geographic efficiency while maintaining fairness.
Raising Safety & Quality Standards
Management systems (policies, procedures, etc.)
Staff training, communication, instructions to the involved personnel (e.g., drivers).
Verification of the implementation in practice (through a site inspection, interviews with operators/drivers, etc.).
Raising Safety & Quality Standards
Certification procedure
Logistics service providers (LSPs) can apply for certification through one of two options:
1. CAIA Membership and Certification
Use of the CAIA, SQAS-AFRICA, and Responsible Care® logos (as per Logo Usage Guidelines).
Industry networking and best practice sharing.
Regulatory and compliance support.
The CAIA membership year runs from 1 July – 30 June and requires an annual fee.
2. SQAS-AFRICA User Group Membership and Certification
LSPs who do not join CAIA will automatically become members of the SQAS-AFRICA User Group when they apply for certification. This option comes with a separate annual User Group membership fee (paid in full for each membership year) but does not include access to additional benefits available to CAIA members.
User Group members:
Can only use the SQAS-AFRICA logo (and not CAIA or Responsible Care® logos).
Do not receive other CAIA-member privileges.
Must renew membership annually to maintain certification.
For both CAIA members and SQAS-AFRICA User Group members, failure to renew certification and/or annual membership will result in removal from the list of SQAS-AFRICA-compliant companies. Companies that lose certification must wait two years before reapplying.
| Fee structure | CAIA Member (excl. VAT) | SQAS-AFRICA User Group Member (excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Audit fee per audit day | R8500.00 | R8500.00 |
| Admin fee per audit day | R300 | R300 |
| Annual membership fee | As advised by CAIA | R4500.00 |
| Applicable auditor expenses Travel, accommodation, etc. |
As advised by auditor | As advised by auditor |
| For certificates, purchased flags, etc. | R450.00 | R450.00 |
| SQAS-AFRICA flag (optional) | R400.00 | R400.00 |
| Certificate reprint | R200.00 | R200.00 |
For more details, refer to the CAIA Certification Policy.
Certification procedure
